The Unsung
by Mythicalnightguard
Summary: My name is Rufus. Aelius Oranius Rufus. I am a legionary from the Fifth cohort of the Second Augustan Legion, under the great General Gaius Octavius Caesar. I live in the city of Rome, although traditionally I should be in Britannia fighting. But I am in a museum, fighting an unknown enemy. I am Legionary Rufus, and this is my story.
1. Chapter 1

I woke with a start, feeling my lungs expand for the first time in over two thousand years. I looked around, blinking rapidly as a searing light blazed against my eyes. Raising my arm, I hid my eyes in shadows, and opened my mouth to let that first breath of life escape. Slowly, I felt the blood beginning to circulate through my veins, heating my cold body, and feeling returned to my limbs. It felt like I had been stiff, like a marble statue in the Forum, for many centuries, and was just not able to move.

I could sense that I was not the only one to wake. Groans and surprised murmurs filled my ears as I discovered that I could hear again, and I sensed other beings moving about me. Steeling myself against the fear that ebbed at my stomach, I slowly peered from behind my arm. Numerous other men were also alive, same as me, and women and children, too.

I blinked. Could this really be? Was I- _alive?_

The people around me tested their legs and stretched their arms, taking shaky steps at first, and then leaping or running with joyous cries of delight and excitement. I could not help but smile. We were all, truly, alive. It had been a long many centuries since any of us had breathed. For a short few moments, no one seemed to care how or why we were alive. We just were.

Many around me linked together with loved ones that had not been seen since our deaths, and old friends and comrades exchanged greetings and long winded conversations of joyous tone. And yet, no one seemed to panic, or even so much as question why they were breathing.

I myself was still struggling to believe it. I remembered clearly the battle, and the glint of the sword that had claimed my life so many years ago. Those images was clear in my mind; and yet, here I was, standing amidst my brothers in arms. Some of whom I could barely believe I was beholding. There was Lucius, the old medic who had died of plague. And Anthonius, who I remembered had taken an arrow a week before my demise. Even young Paulus, who had been trampled by a horse his first week of training was there, beaming with childish excitement at seeing his friends again.

 _If they are all here,_ I thought to myself, looking around. _Then Kaius must be too._

To my astonishment and relief, there he was, standing a few meters away from me. His armour gleamed in the oddly distorted light, and the plume of his red horse hair crest bobbed as he looked around. We made eye contact, and a wide smile graced his kind face. Before I knew it he was in front of me, and we embraced.

"Rufus," Kaius said, hugging me tightly. "My dear brother, to see your face again! The gods have answered my prayers."

I smiled, and held him just as tightly. After a moment we parted, and he held me by the shoulders. He looked me up and down, his grassy eyes examining every inch of me.

"My dear Rufus, you are just as well as I remembered you." He said, his voice speaking with a slight tremble. "I prayed to the gods every night that I would see you again. It was not until later I learned that you-"

"We must not speak of such sad things, brother." I replied gently. "I am here, and you are here; that is that matters now."

Kaius nodded. "You are right, indeed. You look well enough."

"I am well indeed. And you appear to have done well after my death, brother." I gestured to his helmet.

He glanced down at his feet, a smirk on his lips. "After I lost you, I led a suicide mission against the enemy. I will be honest; I was not expecting to return alive. But I did, and I was awarded the rank of Optio. In a way, it gave me a new reason to live, since you had always talked about wanting the title. I thought I could keep it alive for you."

I could not help but chuckle, causing Kaius to look at me funny. "I suppose now I must call you sir."

Kaius laughed. "Only when we are on duty." He paused after his laughter, and sat down where he had been standing. I followed suit. "I serve under the Centurion Marcus Agrippa, in the First Cohort."

I stared at Kaius, my jaw dropping. "Marcus Agrippa? _The_ Marcus Agrippa? The navy commander?"

Kaius nodded. "The one and only. He returned from the sea soon after you died. Rumor has it he was homesick, and being such a good friend of the general's, he joined the ranks and was put in place as First Spear Centurion of the First Cohort. I can not say I am jealous, though; he earned his title."

At the mention of the general, I instinctively looked around. "If we are all here, then surely the general is too, yes?"

"Indeed he is." Kaius replied. "In fact I just spoke with him and the Centurion a few moments ago."

"What does he say about all this...being alive suddenly?" I asked. I was very keen to know what our great general thought. Through the years I had come to respect him, as many of us soldiers did, and I had often enjoyed hearing what he had to say. He held so much wisdom, that he reminded me of my father when I was younger. I suppose that is why I liked him so much.

"Honestly," Kaius began, a thoughtful look on his face. "He said very little on the matter. As soon as we awoke, he gathered the nearest of his officers and spoke to us. All he said was that we must keep the people calm, and our men in line. Odd, it is, really. I was expecting some grand explanation. But the poor man had nothing to answer our questions. What do you think, Rufus?"

I could only shrug helplessly. "I do not know. Perhaps it was divine intervention."

Kaius sniffed, and crossed his arms as he spoke. "If this is the afterlife, then the gods are late picking us up."

At the time I could only nod a reply as a hush fell over the crowd. We looked up at the sound of a throat being cleared, and I turned to see the General Octavius standing on a small podium above us. His face looked flushed with anxiety, but he stood erect, and spoke with an unwavering voice.

"People of Rome," He began, casting his brown eyed gaze over us. "I am just as confused as the rest of you, and perhaps more worried than most- and I will not lie to you. I have made the proper sacrifices- but there has been no answer from the gods. If this is the afterlife we have believed in, then it is certainly less than what we- what I- was expecting. There are no grassy fields, nor flowing rivers; and as far as I have seen, we are the only Romans in the vicinity. Which is why I would urge you to please remain in this general area while we send out a patrol to search for clues to this nagging question. I would like to lead this patrol myself. Since this is an unknown land, I will take no man unwilling to risk his life with me. That is why I ask for volunteers."

A few men, including Marcus Agrippa, stepped forth. There was a long pause, before I looked at Kaius. He nodded to me, and the two of us stepped forwards, in front of our general. He paused and looked us over, before he smiled.

"Optio Kaius and Legionary Rufus," He said, his eyes friendly. He clasped hands with each of us. "I am pleased to see the two of you- especially you, Rufus. The army was not the same after your death."

I could not reply, and I bowed my head to hide my red cheeks at such recognition. After waiting another moment for volunteers, the general spoke again.

"That is all. Dismissed!"


	2. Chapter 2

The terrain was unlike anything I had ever seen before. In all my years of warfare and campaigns, I had never seen a ground so hard; a ground of marble that showed our reflections as we carefully urged our mounts forwards. This unnatural ground was surrounded by what I could only describe as mountains, sheer cliffs towering above us, all appearing to meet at a certain point far above us, forming a roof-like structure. It reminded me of a sort of large cave. Even our city had appeared to be resting on an outcrop, and we had needed to very carefully lower ourselves and our horses down.

In the center of this field of marble, there was a single, brown mountain that stood alone amidst the otherwise empty cavern. We were uncertain as we trekked onwards, the General Octavius in the lead. Centurion Marcus followed close behind him, and behind the Centurion was Kaius and I, with two men; Lucios and Nicodemus, close behind us.

We had been riding for a little under an hour, or so we thought; there was no way for us to tell the time of day. The Sun was not like the sun we were use to. It did not shine from one place, rather, it shone down on us from what seemed like numerous angles. Adding to my rough idea of this place being a cavern, I concluded that it simply could not be; there could be no Sun within a cave.

As if reading my thoughts, Kaius leaned over in his saddle to speak to me.

"This light is not coming from the Sun," He stated, pointing a hand above him at one of the narrow swaths of light. "If you squint, there appear to be more than one light source. And there has only ever been on Sun."

"And the light is not warm," Added Nicodemus. "In fact, I feel no change in the temperature. If anything, it is rather cold."

"I do not like it," Lucios murmured, shrinking down in his saddle. "This is not the Rome I remember."

I nodded. This place certainly was not Rome. There were no provinces, at least, that I knew of, that exhibited such strange characteristics. I wanted to suggest my idea of a cave but figured it best to keep my mouth shut.

"What do you think, sir?" Kaius asked the General, spurring his horse forwards to become closer to his. "Is this a province we do not know of?"

"It cannot be a province, for no Roman has yet set foot in it. Aside from us, of course." The General Octavius explained slowly. "As far as I can tell, this place is not of nature. It feels more-"

"Artificial." Centurion Marcus finished. He then winced, and cast an apologetic glance at Octavius. "Sorry, sir."

Octavius shook his head. "No wrong done, Marcus."

"Sir," I asked hesitantly, nudging my horse forwards to his other flank.

He turned to me with a friendly gaze. "How may I be of assistance, Rufus?"

"Well, sir, I was thinking; if this place is not natural, and we are not in the afterlife, then, could we possibly be prisoners of some sort? Held in an unknown chamber?" I asked.

"You know I was thinking the same thing," Nicodemus chimed. "This could be some sort of punishment for our wrongdoings."

Kaius sniffed. "Wrongdoings my arse. We have always been in the right. Invading and conquering is what we do, for the good of Rome. Any man who thinks otherwise is not a Roman, but a cowardly lowlife."

Nicodemus growled and yanked on his reins, his horse maneuvering in front of Kaius', forcing him to come to a halt. "Are you calling me a coward?"

"If the sandal fits, my friend," Kaius replied cooly.

"Enough!" Octavius snapped, turning in his saddle. Kaius and Nicodemus immediately fell silent, staring at each other with cold stares. Octavius glared at them each in turn, his normally calm demeanor overtaken by annoyance. "I will have no warring amongst my men, do you understand me? We are in the heart of unknown territory, in the open. We could be easily targeted by anyone with the means of harming us. We could be picked off one by one, as could those we have left in the city. Is that what you want?"

"No, sir." The two soldiers chorused.

Octavius gave a curt nod. "Very well then. Not one more fighting word from anyone. We are to continue silently, in our original marching order. Lucios, keep your eyes open behind us; it would be very poor luck to be ambushed."

"Yes, sir," Lucios said dutifully.

We continued on our course for a few moments longer, the large brown mountain looming ahead of us like a lone hill on the plains. I tried to keep my mind from wandering, but the task was impossible. I kept thinking about what Nicodemus had said. What if we really were in a land of punishment? Had we committed some crime against the gods? Surely, that could not be the case. I would have been here long before most of the others since I had died long before them. But why, then, did this land seem so barren? The more I thought about it, the more oddities I discovered. There were no plants to be seen, no shrubs or trees, and not a blade of grass beneath our horses' hooves. There was no dirt or sand, nor was there water. The air I breathed did not smell fresh, but musty, and full of scents I had never smelled before. This was certainly not of the earth I knew.

"Gentlemen, make haste now," Octavius said, cutting into my thoughts.

I steered my horse in the direction he was going, the rest of us following close together as we neared the brown mountain. We halted our mounts just before the shiny ground was bathed in shadow. Octavius swung himself out of his saddle and stood on the edge of the light and dark. He leaned forwards slightly, squinting his eyes to peer within. He then took a cautious step forwards, and then a few more, before turning back to us.

"Come now, it is safe." He said reassuringly.

Marcus wasted no time dismounting and followed the General into the shadows. Kaius and I exchanged a glance before we did the same. Nicodemus strolled in casually, looking at him with interest, while Lucios stayed where he was, staring nervously at the shadowy space.

"I-I think I will stay out here with the horses," He stammered, unable to keep the tremble from his voice.

Nicodemus rolled his eyes. "Afraid of the dark, Lucios?" He mocked.

Octavius gave him a warning glance, before lowering his tone gently. "If you feel safer out there, Lucios, then you may guard the horses. Keep them from wandering off, if you may."

Kaius knocked against the side of the large mountain we were now under, in a sort of tunnel. "This is not stone."

"It is wood," Marcus said, his tone filled with wonder. He ran his hand along the side and smiled. "It is oak. Sturdy oak, mind you. And well smooth. This is no natural made structure."

"Indeed, it would appear to be made by man," Octavius explained. "The polish does not appear to be old, and the wood, if you tap it lightly," He tapped his index finger against the wood. "It is hollow."

"Well, what is it, then?" Nicodemus asked aloud, speaking the same question we all had in our minds.

"I would not have the mind to tell you," Octavius replied truthfully.

I listened to them speak but did not put in my own words. Besides their voices, there was something more; a noise I could just barely make out at the edge of my hearing. It sounded like the faint drum of horses.

"General, sir," I spoke softly, as to not startle him since he was deep in thought.

"Yes, I hear it too." He replied slowly. He turned to face back into the light, a deep frown creasing his lips. "We are not alone here."

"Sir!" Lucios yelled from where he stood with the horses. "There are riders approaching!"

There was no missing Lucios' panicked tone, and I felt fear rise within myself. Octavius had ordered that all other Romans remain in the city, so the riders could not be Roman. But what if there had been an emergency? What if something had happened?

Octavius led us out of the shadows and gave the order to remount. We watched the riders for a moment, in an attempt to judge their direction. They were too far away to make out with the glare of the light, but they appeared to be heading directly for us. They were not traveling at a fast pace, which ruled out my fear of there being some sort of accident. But then a new thought struck me; what if these riders were native to this land and hostile?

"Sir," I whispered quietly. Octavius glanced at me and nodded for me to speak. "Sir, the horsemen appear to be heading towards us."

"That I can see," He replied tersely.

"Yes, but sir; if we can maneuver ourselves in front of them, perhaps we will be able to defend ourselves if they should attack," I explained. "The wooden mountain will guard this flank, and the wall over there the other. And if all else fails, we can flee through there." I pointed to an expansion of whatever world we were live in.

Octavius nodded. "We shall hold our position. Line up on me."

We carefully shifted our mounts into position, forming a formidable line of horses in front of the expansion. I glanced at Kaius nervously, seeking a comforting word, but he said nothing. I took a deep breath and trained my eyes on the approaching figures. I could now make out details about their appearance, and they looked rather comical, to say the least. Their helmets looked more like flimsy bits of leather, woven together to accommodate their heads. They did not wear armor and carried no visible weapons.

"They are definitely not Roman," Marcus said, swinging his arm out at the approaching men. "They must be barbarian cavalry of some sort."

"M-Maybe they are friendly?" Lucios suggested a hopeful tone in his voice.

"Perhaps," Octavius muttered quietly. He slipped from the back of his horse as the unknown riders paused in their advance.

"They do not appear to have weapons." Kaius pointed out carefully. "If they are unarmed, perhaps they come in peace."

"They could have concealed weapons," Octavius warned, raising his hand slightly to signal to us to remain where we were. "Stay where you are, and under no circumstances move."

I was not willing to challenge his orders, and so I stayed where I was. I could not help but feel afraid for our general as he trod towards the unknown men. He stopped after a few steps and cupped a hand to his mouth as he shouted.

"Who goes there?" He yelled, his voice barely making an echo. "Are you a friend?"

The men in front of us did not respond. I noticed as I stared at them, a few movements. They appeared to be reaching down to their sides, unsheathing something. It was not a sword, but since the objects seemed to be stored in a way similar to a sword, it was clear that they were weapons. I tugged at Marcus' tunic sleeve, unwilling to speak too loudly for fear of startling the other men.

"Sir," I whispered urgently. "Sir, they are in possession of weapons!"

Marcus squinted his eyes, his lips puckered in concentration. His face then took on a look of shock. "Octavius!" He yelled. "They are armed!"

I could only watch as the hatted men raised their weapons into the air. There were sounds like miniature claps of thunder, the men shouting and hollering at us. My horse jerked to the side in fright, almost knocking me from the saddle. I clenched my thighs around the beast, and desperately tightened my grip on the reins. I instinctively ducked my head down along with the other men and Octavius, who had dropped to the ground. My heart beat frantically in my chest, my mind racing as I tried to process the current situation. It felt like the thundering sounds went on forever, but it was merely a few seconds before it was over.

I sat on my mount, panting. Kaius, who was crouched low on his own horse beside me, slowly lifted his head. The men had lowered whatever weapons they had and had turned to ride away from us. Octavius rose slowly to his feet, a visible shaking in his limbs as he retreated back to us.

"What in Hades' was that?" Nicodemus asked in a slur of words, his eyes gleaming with surprise.

"It was like thunder," Marcus murmured, his gaze distant. "Like small claps of thunder…."

"They must be enemies," Kaius said quickly. "Else they would not have attacked us."

"Silence now!" Octavius ordered, his voice calmer, but still on edge. "We must remain calm. Do you all understand?"

All of us nodded, except for Lucios.

"Lucios, do you understand me?" Octavius asked again, looking at the soldier.

Lucios did not answer. I looked at him closely and noticed his eyes held a faraway look, and the color had drained from his face. He swayed in his saddle, his eyelids drooping. His lips quivered as if he was trying to speak, but no words came out. Octavius frowned.

"Lucios? Are you alright?" He asked in a much more gentle tone.

"S-Sir…" Lucios stammered.

I watched as he slumped forwards in his saddle, tipping sideways as if wounded by some sort of blow. Before any of us could react Octavius had already caught him. He gently lowered Lucios to the ground. The rest of us dismounted in silence, too shocked to speak. I leaned over Octavius' shoulder and saw a pool of crimson beneath Lucios, more blood flowing from a wound in his side. He felt for a pulse, his gaze intent as he stilled himself.

"Is he-" I began.

I was interrupted by muttered curses from Octavius, who quickly rose to his feet, Lucios slumped in his arms. "Remount!" He ordered.

We immediately did as we were told. Octavius hoisted Lucios over the saddle of his horse, before mounting his own. He gripped the reins of both horses in one hand and used the other to steady Lucios, who groaned deeply.

"Back to the city! We stop for nothing!" Octavius yelled. He lowered his head slightly to whisper. "Stay with me, Lucios. We will get you out of here."

I was not so sure if any of us would get back alive.


	3. Chapter 3

It took us too long to get back to the city, which held our fort within. We rode hard for how long I am unsure. Time did not matter at that point. The only thing that mattered to any of us was getting Lucios back to the safety of the city, and into the care of the surgeon. We were shadowed the whole way, the men who had attacked us following a short ways away. They kept their distance as if to simply observe our movements. I feared that we would lead them to the position of our city. But there was nothing I could say to change the General's mind.

I could tell as we rode that he only had one thing on his mind; saving his soldier. There was no way I could convince him to think tactically, and I did not try. None of us spoke as we neared the city. Octavius had sent Nicodemus and Kaius ahead to warn the surgeon of our imminent arrival. Needing enough men to fight if we were attacked again, he kept Marcus and me behind, with Lucios.

He was in a bad way when we finally reached the sheer, cliff-like surface that our city had been built on. He had not spoken since he was wounded and did not respond to any sort of stimulus. He still bled continuously, and Octavius had shifted him in the saddle so as to be able to apply pressure to the wound. I am no medic, but it did not look like he was in good health. By the time we had reached the ropes that would haul us back up, he was almost unresponsive.

"Rufus, take him up," Octavius ordered. The panic had left his voice as his resolve to save Lucios had taken over, but the urgency was still present.

I nodded quickly and climbed out of my saddle. There was a handful of men above us who had already lowered down the ropes. They were tied in a bag-like fashion, with crudely fashioned leather handles. Seldom would we ever have the need for such a contraption, but we needed it now. I wasted no time in climbing up into the makeshift harness. With help from Marcus, Octavius lifted the wounded Lucios up into my arms and held to him tightly with one arm as I yanked on the rope.

The men above me began to pull, much quicker than they had when they lowered us down. I clutched Lucios tightly to me, and he groaned as we began to sway on the rope. The ferocity in which the men pulled us up was throwing me off balance. I clung to the ropes with one arm and tried to balance Lucios on my knees, bracing his with the other hand. His slumped forwards limply, his limbs dangling from their sockets as he helplessly hung there with me.

I was not close to Lucios, nor did I really even know him. But I knew enough from the short few hours we had been serving together that he was a good man, and one the army could ill afford to lose. All soldiers have a duty to their comrades, and since we were one in the same, I could not let him die. I refused.

I took a moment to glance down, and gulped at the dizzying height below us. I held tighter to Lucios as I felt him slipping. I would not let go. Clenching my eyes shut and gritting my teeth, I tightened my grip. There was little room for me to maneuver, and I had to rely only on my strength and my will to keep him from falling. If there was any chance of survival for him, it would be dashed if I let him plummet to the ground below.

With one final heave from the men above us, we were finally pulled to safety. My lungs screamed at me to pause and catch my breath, but there was no time. I untangled myself from the ropes, and together with one of the men who had helped us up carried Lucios into the medical block.

"Is this the man?" The lead Surgeon, Lucius, asked us as we hauled our wounded comrade inside.

I nodded quickly, panting as I struggled to support Lucios.

"Put him on the table, carefully. Keep him tilted on the opposite side of the wound, mind you." Lucius ordered us.

We hoisted him up onto the hard, flat surface of the wooden table. It was covered with a thin layer of leather, which would serve to keep the surface somewhat sanitary for the next patient. I took a step back as Lucius began looking over the wound. I took a moment to catch my breath as I watched.

I had been in a medical block once before, but the images were vague and blurry. I had died in one, I remembered that; the last thing I had seen was a panicked expression of a medical orderly. These quarters seemed a lot less crowded than I remembered. I assumed it must be the fact that we had all just arrived, and there had been no time, really, for any afflictions or injuries to occur.

"Hm." Lucius hummed, a frown creasing his old, wrinkled face after he had removed Lucios' armor and tunic.

I looked up, cut off from my thoughts.

"This is no arrow wound. It looks almost like a slingshot wound, but the object went far deeper than a normal lead stone." He explained. He abruptly turned to yell into the next room. "Athena! Hey! Come here, girl."

I could not contain my curiosity at the young figure who hastily walked through the arched doorway from the next room. At first, I was surprised; I had never seen a female medic before. It was unheard of. But there she was, dressed in a neat white medical tunic, her dark brown hair tied back in a tight bun as she hurried over to Lucius.

"Sir," She addressed him, nodding her head once.

"I need the probes and the scalpel. Quickly! On the double." Lucius demanded loudly. It was not a harsh tone, but it was enough to startle me.

But the girl did not seem unfazed by the brusk order, nor did she flinch at the sight of Lucios bleeding out onto the table. She nimbly went to the other side of the room and opened a small wooden cupboard. She took up a few metal instruments and set them on the table beside Lucius.

"Pour some vinegar in the wound." Instructed Lucius.

The girl, I believe her name was Athena, took the stopper out of a small amphora of what I guessed was the vinegar. She splashed it about the wound, pouring a gracious amount directly inside of the small, hole shaped wound. Lucios must have retained a small grain of consciousness, for his body spasmed, his back arched in pain at the stinging, and he gave a small groan. I winced.

"Hush now," Athena said gently, pushing her weight down on his shoulders and chest. "Breath deeply now, you will be alright."

"Come, girl," Lucius said, gesturing to his side.

Athena obediently came and took the scalpel he handed her.

"I want you to cut along here," He pointed his finger at the opening around the wound. "And here," He pointed to the other side of the opening.

Athena took a steadying breath and began to cut with the scalpel at the points indicated. Lucius reached over and grasped her hand, redirecting her position if she strayed too far from the point.

"Careful now," He warned. "Watch for the color of the blood. If it is bright, you have cut too far. Keep your eyes trained on the very tip of your scalpel, and watch out for arteries….Good. Now open the wound- very good. Hold the skin apart…"

I had to look away as she used her bloodied fingers to spread apart the flesh. Lucius took a wooden peg looking object and stuck it into the wound to keep it open. He dumped in another splash of vinegar.

"Now take your probe- this one here." He handed Athena a long metal instrument, with a small, bulb shaped head at one end, and a sharp point at the other. Lucius once again grasped her hand and directed hers to begin prodding inside the wound. "Aha! Do you feel that?"

Lucius removed his hand, and Athena lightly pushed the probe into the wound before nodding. "That is the projectile alright, sir."

"Excellent. Now that we know where it is, we know where to cut. Take up the scalpel again and make a one-inch incision in the flesh." Lucius ordered carefully.

Despite the queasy feeling in my stomach, I could not help but sneak a look at the operation. I was intrigued by the surgical precision she exhibited as she made the cut. Using her thumb and her pointer, she held open the fuschia flesh just enough for Lucius to reach into the incision with a pair of tweezers.

"Got it," Lucius grunted. He held up the object that had wounded Lucios for me to see.

It looked exactly like the shot that we Romans used. It was small and round and made out of some sort of metal. It appeared to be very smooth too, and very small. And yet, it seemed to have done so much damage. I frowned.

"What sort of projectile is that?" I asked, leaning in for a closer look.

"I am not certain," Lucius said, rubbing his wrinkled chin. "It looks like shot to me. But it did more damage than shot normally would. If you look here," I craned my neck over Athena's shoulder to see where Lucius was pointing into the wound. "It made a clean entrance into the body, narrowly avoiding what would be his left kidney, here. It scrapped passed his rib, but that should heal well enough with time. Oi, Athena! Close that up, will you?"

"Yes, sir."

Lucius smiled fondly at her as she began to close the wound, using the prong-ended metal clips to pull the skin together. "She might be a woman, but she knows what she is doing. It is a lucky thing I came across her. I fear I am getting too old for this mending business. My hands shake and I lose my grip easily. Ah, but she is a fast learner; it has been merely three hours since our new found lives, and already she understands the basics. All I will really need to teach her is how to mend specific wounds and ailments, and perhaps a thing or two to ease the suffering of those who have fallen ill. Aye, I will say it is strange that she knows all of this. But I will not question a gift from the gods. With the right guidance, she will master these skills of hers, and take over my position. It will be of good use to have a helper around."

I nodded a response. I was too busy observing the careful, exact motions of her hands as she gently applied a coating of herbal poultices to the wound, before placing linen strips over her work. She reached into a jar beside her and removed her hand, which was covered in a whitish-yellow substance. She proceeded to rub a coating of the goo over the linen. I was very curious about this strange medical glue. She glanced up at me, and I quickly cast my gaze aside. She smiled.

"This is a thick mixture made of gypsum, lime, and sand. We use it to help hold the linen, which is used to hold the poultice of alumroot, in place." She explained. "Once it dries, which should only take a moment or two, I can then wrap his abdomen with another layer of linen, as added protection. When he wakes, he will be given a glass of wine with comfrey. Is that right, sir?"

"No, not comfrey." Lucius corrected, wagging his finger back and forth. "Valerian. Comfrey is used to treat surface wounds. Now then, have you finished the binding?"

"Yes, sir," Athena answered. "It is secure and in place. The mixture has dried."

"Good. You there, legionnaire- what was your name?" Lucius asked.

"Rufus, sir," I answered, stiffening my pose. "Aelius Oranius Rufus, Fifth Cohort."

"I did not need to know your full name."

"Sorry, sir," I muttered sheepishly.

"Never mind it." He said, swatting his hand through the air. "Here, help the girl lift the lad."

I braced my hands beneath Lucios' arms and eased him into a sitting position. His head lolled back against me, but I remained still as Athena reached around his waist. She tied off the ends of the linen after a few wraps, and Lucius gave the knot a test pull.

"Not bad." He grunted. "You two can take him into the next room. Give him a cot nearest to your quarters, Athena, so you can keep an eye on him. He is your responsibility now. If you need anything, let me know, and I will show you the proper ways to make him as comfortable as possible."

"I will, sir. Thank you." Athena replied with a slight bow. She gave me another smile and swung Lucios' right arm across her shoulders. "Feel free to grab hold of his other arm, lest we drag him to bed."

I was not oblivious to the jesting tone in her voice, and I could not suppress a glaring pout. How dare a woman command me in such a way. I was a legionary, one of the toughest, most well-trained men in the world. And she, no more than a civilian girl with ambitions of medicine. Yet, I was deeply interested in her. Not in admiration, but in what drove her to try and be something that few women had even wanted to be. There was also the mystery about her.

She did not look like anyone I knew. Now that I took a moment to think, I realized that I had seen many faces of strangers during the time I had been awake. Nicodemus had been new to me, as did Lucios. Had I just never noticed them before? No, that could not be the case. If it was, I would have also known Athena. In all my life, I had not known a female medic. Therefore, she, and the two men must be new.

"Excuse me, Rufus, we have reached the cot."

"What?" I said. I looked in front of me and saw that we had indeed come to the farthest cot in the long hallway. I gently laid Lucios down, while Athena covered him with a thin blanket.

"That is about all we can do for now." She said softly. "He needs time to recuperate."

"How long do you think it will take for him to recover?" I asked.

Athena shrugged. "It could be a long time. There is the fear of infection, but perhaps that can be avoided. Is he a friend of yours?"

I shook my head. "No, not really. We just met today."

"I can sense that you are worried about him."

"Worried?" I asked incredulously. "I mean, yeah, I suppose- but not really. Like I said, I do not know him."

"I think you will later one," Athena explained. "You stayed here with him during the operation."

She was right; I had remained in the medical block for the operation. Why had I done that? I thought I would have left already, to track down Kaius or see if the general had made it up the cliff wall. But I had stayed.

"Maybe." I finally said. There was noise from the operating room, and I turned back towards the doorway. "That sounds like the general."

"Indeed it does." Athena agreed. "No doubt you must report to him on the state of this soldier."

"Yes." I took a few steps, then paused to look over my shoulder. "We must speak again sometime, miss. I have some questions."

Her lively face darkened, and for a moment I thought she had been struck ill. "Perhaps we can." She answered, giving a nervous chuckle.

I went to reply but heard my name being called from the other room. As I walked away, I could not help but wonder about this mysterious girl, and nurse a newfound worry for Lucios.


	4. Chapter 4

"You summoned me, sir?" I asked, standing straight in the presence of my general.

"At….ease…" General Octavius panted. His face was flushed red from his exertions, and he puffed his cheeks as he tried to catch his breath. It occurred to me that he must have forcefully climbed up the rope in his haste, and even though the situation was serious, I was barely able to suppress a chuckle as I imagined him hauling himself up, like a gecko racing up a glass pane. After a brief respite, he caught his breath and stood at his full sight. "I came as soon as I could reach the top. Is Lucios well? Is he alive?"

I nodded. "Yes, sir. He is alive, but I am not sure of his condition. You will have to ask the Surgeon, sir." I nodded over to Lucius, who was busy scrubbing the dried blood from his in a ceramic bowl.

"Yes, of course." Octavius huffed. He turned to Lucius expectantly. "Well?"

"Honestly, sir," Lucius began, drying his hands off on a stray piece of linen. "I am not at all certain he will live." I could not hide my shock at the statement, and I gave a small gasp. Lucius looked at me apologetically, before finishing his explanation to Octavius. "I was not certain how to say it, sir, not with my apprentice around- she was so eager to heal her first patient- I could not crush her hope-"

"Yes, but what about Lucios?" Octavius demanded. "Why will he not heal?"

Lucius cleared his throat and sat himself down on a wooden stool with a quiet exhale of breath. He rubbed his lower back as if it pained him. "Sir, you must understand- I can not save everyone. If I could, what use would there be for me? Your lad, Lucios, he has lost a lot of blood. He may be too faint to recover. He could fall into shock at any moment, or even a stroke if his body cannot refill itself. There is the fear of internal bleeding too, sir. And infection- the projectile is not known in our knowledge and could have been coated with infection inducing dirt. If that is the case, I fear he will contract blood poisoning, and all that I can do is keep him comfortable until he passes."

Octavius growled deeply in his throat, his eyes narrowed in anger. He took a threatening step towards Lucius, who did not flinch. "If he dies," Octavius threatened. "I will hold you personally responsible-"

"Octavius sit down!" Lucius demanded, raising his voice loud enough to be heard over the General's tone. Octavius froze, and plopped himself down on another stool, opposite of the bloody operating table. "Look at me when I speak, sir. You know I am far older, and much more experienced than you- and hardly do I ever raise my voice at anyone, especially you- but you must think rationally here. Not for my sake, but for the sake of the men- for the sake of your wounded lad. You are a wonderful general, and there is not a soul in this city that does not adore and love you. But you must learn to let go sometimes. Look at it this way; this place we are in, it could be a miserable, dangerous place. If he dies now, he might be spared from a worse fate. I know you care deeply for each and every one of the men under your command- but, sir, we are soldiers, and death is our best friend. You must learn to accept that. Do you understand me?"

Octavius clasped his hands in his lap, looking down at them like a child who had just received a harsh scolding. "Yes," He murmured softly.

"Good," Lucius said, nodding once. "He is not ready for visitors, so I suggest you go and find something to do, sir. Maybe see to the other men, or figure out more about this place."

Without a word, Octavius turned and left the building. I watched him leave, and could not help but feel sorry for him. He was very engaging with us common soldiers, to the point where we sometimes forgot that he was our commanding officer. He was unlike most generals, who usually gave less than a sandal strap of care. He was a good man, and I could understand his concern for Lucios. But he seemed to be taking it a bit too seriously. Death was common for us soldiers. I had died. Kaius had died. We all died at one point. Death on the battlefield was simply a different way to go. I knew many men who would rather die by the sword than in a cushy bed in the casual, everyday home.

I knew that the General Octavius would not see it the way I did. The more I thought about the events of the day, the more and more I realized what he must be feeling, inside where he kept his true feelings hidden from the world. The attack on us, on Lucios, had been an unprovoked offense, and I knew the General would not rest until Lucios was avenged. The gods help whoever had struck Lucios.

A sigh from Lucius brought my attention back to the room.

"Our dear General, the poor man," He sighed, shaking his head sadly. "He tries hard to protect us all, and he feels helpless when we fall. The gods rest his weary soul."

"Why is he like that?" I asked, no longer able to wonder any longer on my own.

Lucius shrugged, rising to his feet with a grunt. "I could not tell you. Some say it is merely to please his superiors, those cozy-arsed senators in the Forum. Others say he is trying to match the work of his father, the great Caesar."

"Well, what do you think, sir?"

"What do I think?" Lucius thought for a moment, tapping his chin. "I think is a well-meaning man with a kind heart, who feels he must carry the world on his shoulders. The gods bless him; the poor man will stress himself to death."

I frowned. "That can not really happen, can it, sir?" I asked. I was not versed in the medical field, and to die of stress seemed a little out of the ordinary.

"It all depends on what the stress makes you do," Lucius answered. "Now then, hand me my cane; I fancy a walk through the city before nightfall. If night falls at all, that is. Do you have anything to do, Rufus?"

"No, sir," I answered truthfully.

"Well then, you can take that projectile to the quartermaster for me." Lucius gestured to the small metal pellet still on the operating table. "Pick it up with some linen so you do not get the blood on your hands."

I handed Lucius the wooden cane that was leaning against the door frame, then gingerly picked up the blood-stained projectile. I wrapped it in the linen and walked back to the door. I paused at the entrance to the hallway and peered in. Athena was sitting beside the unconscious Lucios, keeping a close eye on him. I smiled. If there was any hope for Lucius, it would be through her.

Lucius had already left, and he was hobbling like the old man he was down the narrow, army-standard road. I took a moment to breathe in the stuffy air. With everything that had been going on, I had not had time to consider anything else about this strange place. The mission I had returned from had not answered any questions and had only given us more to inquire. Now that I looked out over the edge of the cliff the city was built on, I could see that the wooden mountain looked like a bench. I could not explain why, but I knew that nature, no matter how spectacular, could not sculpt such a fine shape.

In the distance, gathered in the shadows of the bench, I could see the tiny figures of the men who had attacked us. I felt a prickle of anger rise within me as I gazed at them, and for a moment I considered hijacking a ballista and opening fire. But I did not. Part of me hated them. I hated them from hurting Lucios. Yet, another part of me was curious. Curious about who they were, and what they were, for that moment. I could not be certain. They did not look like Arabians, nor like any of the barbarian tribesmen I had ever seen. They did not look Egyptian, and they were definitely not Parthian.

 _Perhaps they are of this specific world,_ I thought. They could easily be people created of the gods, immortals who hunted lost souls. But I was not even sure if we were in a godly kingdom or a wasteland. I was not certain of anything, and the uncertainty bothered me. I felt vulnerable, at the mercy of Fate. The unsure feelings were almost too much for me to bear, and for a moment I almost envied Lucios.

Then once again, my curiosity sparked within my soul. These men might be rather interesting. They seemed to have weapons far superior to our own. Perhaps the technology could be used by us. It might not be too late to make peace with these men. We could teach each other things, expand our trade. Maybe they would willingly join Rome. A new province was sure to stifle the preening men in the Senate.

I was not aware of my surroundings as I walked, and I stumbled into an equally distracted man.

"Omph!" The man gasped as he fell to the ground.

My eyes widened as I recognized who I had bumped into. "Sir, I am so sorry I did not see you there-" I stammered quickly, grasping his forearm and helping him to his feet.

"It is quite fine, quite fine." Centurion Marcus said quickly. He looked distracted, and glanced around, readjusting his helmet. "Have you seen Octavius anywhere? I can not find him. He was not in the medical block."

"I am not sure where he went," I replied truthfully. "I have not seen him since he left the medical block."

Marcus had a rather disturbed look in his eyes, and he took a sharp breath. "I must find him. I need- I need to tell him something- something important…"

"May I inquire what it is, sir?" I asked curiously.

"No no," Marcus shook his head slowly. "I-I must find him…something important….oh heavens I have forgotten! Maybe I can remember..."

I watched as Marcus drifted away from me, looking dazed and confused beyond all logic. Now there was a strange man. Like the others, I did not know the Centurion very well, but I suppose I was naturally jealous of him. The army was not his element. He was a navy man at heart. He was flighty and uncertain, and always seemed to be somewhere near the General. Personally, I thought he was a kiss-up. There were so many other men who Octavius could have chosen as First Spear Centurion. It could have been me. Kaius would have made a good centurion. Even that annoying prick Nicodemus would make a better centurion than Marcus.

Pushing these thoughts aside, I turned down the next street and into the quartermaster's storage room. Quartermaster Scipio Varinus Titus was a burly man, with arms like thick tree trunks and a shortly trimmed beard that outlined his solid jawbone. I could not help but feel intimidated by the mere sight of him as I entered the block shaped building.

"What do you want?" Titus grunted, not bothering to lift his head from where it rested, perched upon his fist as he leaned on the counter. "Come to complain about some missing item, or beg me to give you a map of this place? Cause you would not be the first to make my day miserable."

I sniffed and held back the urge to snap at the man. I crossed the floor between us and tried to seem as tough and carefree as possible. "I have something for you to examine, sent by Surgeon Lucius."

Titus snorted. "That old coot? What, are his eyes too old to make out his vine cane from a serpent?"

"No," I replied stiffly. I just managed to hold myself back from the slamming the linen wrapped projectile on the counter. "He wants to know what this is."

Titus raised an eyebrow and pinched one corner of the cloth between his finger and his thumb. He drew it away, revealing the blood-soaked projectile in the center. He picked the tiny object up and held it up to one of the torches on the wall. He hummed.

"Not shot, I can tell you that. But similar," He said. He tossed it in his palm, up and down, and bit it. I cringed at the thought of someone else's blood in my mouth, but he did not flinch. He spat on the floor and dropped the projectile back on the counter with a sharp 'klink'. "Led, but too smooth to be one of ours."

"Is...that it?" I asked slowly.

Titus frowned. "What do I look like? A bloody soothsayer? Now get your arse out of here before I kick it. I have enough to deal with without some little prick asking questions. Go on then! Beat it! Get lost!"

I ducked out of the room quickly, clutching the rewrapped projectile to my chest. I felt humiliated for acting so skittish, but that man was rather frightening. And quite rude. If I had been half the man I was, I would have punched him, right in that mopey face of his. I muttered to myself as I walked back to the entrance of the medical block. I stuck my head in but saw no sign of Lucius. Figuring he was still out on his walk, I decided to look for Kaius.

As I walked the Forum, casting my eyes all around, I began to grow suddenly weary. I felt tired, and there was a cold feeling settling within me. I frowned and leaned against the side of a building. I was not feeling so well. _Perhaps I just need to lie down._ I tried to push myself away from the wall, but my legs felt stiff. I looked at my hand, which appeared to be shiny. I tried to bend my fingers, but nothing happened. I tried to turn my head again, but could not move it. I opened my mouth to utter a surprised cry, but nothing came out.

I froze.


	5. Chapter 5

I gasped as the breath returned to my lungs once again. Before I could distinguish what position I was in, I felt myself fall sideways. The back of my head hit something hard, jarring my neck, while a blinding white light filled my vision, and ringing echoed in my ears. I opened my mouth to cry out for help, only uttering a mere squeak. My throat felt like it was full of cotton, and my eyelids felt heavy as I tried to open them. I could move nothing. I did not know where I was for a moment, and no one came to help or comfort me. After a few moments, I began to get the feeling back in my body. I moved my stiff legs up to my chest, wrapping my arms around myself in a tight embrace. I felt cold. It took another moment for me to feel warm again and when I did I risked moving my head with a small motion.

Bad idea. A wave of nausea fell over me, and I fought to keep down the bile that rose in my throat. My body shook with chills. I did not risk moving and weakly called for help. No one heard me, my voice little more than a croaking gasp. Through the ringing I could hear the sounds of others moving about, some sounding surprised, some afraid. There was a collective screaming, and sandaled feet rushed past by blurred vision. I tried to roll to the side as a wave of people came upon. I was kicked and stepped on, prodded and tripped over me as they rushed, in a mass panic, to where I did not know. I lifted my arms over my head, feeling myself tremble from fear and pain as they swarmed me. And then, like the rain ending after a storm, the crowd began to ebb, until only a few stragglers stumbled past.

I do not know how long I laid there, fighting wave after wave of nausea before I was finally found. It could have been minutes, it could have been an hour, I was not certain.

"Rufus!"

I weakly raised my head at the sound of my name being called, barely discernible above the chaotic cries of panic.

"Rufus! Where are you?" The voice called again, sounding desperate. "Rufus!"

"H-H-Here…" I stammered helplessly, struggling to raise my aching head. "H-Help me…"

I felt the ground vibrate slightly beneath me as a pair of feet pounded towards me. I felt a hand touch my shoulder, the sound of clutching breaths in my ear. I let my head fall again as I realized I was safe.

"Rufus," The voice said again, much softer. I felt hands gently move my head to the side, and I bit my tongue to keep from crying out. I was lifted up off of the ground and hung limply in the arms of the man who had come to my aid.

I blinked rapidly, squinting up at his face. "K-Kaius…?" I murmured in slight disbelief.

"Hush now," Kaius said gently, holding me close as he weaved through the streets. "You will be alright."

I did not protest, and I let my head fall sideways against his chest. The gloppy bile I felt in my throat rose and fell as I fought to keep it down. I could not struggle, nor protest. I did not even care if I was carried to safety. I just wanted the pain to go away. Each step Kaius took shook my body, sending sharp pains through my head. I knew it was a bad idea, but I allowed my eyes to close, and darkness filled my vision.

XXX

"Will he be alright? Gods, please let him live-"

"Calm now, Kaius. He will be alright. He just needs to rest, is all."

"When will he wake?"

"Soon, perhaps. Have patience. Stay here with him, I have others to see to."

I groaned as I began to return to consciousness. The ringing in my head began to subside slowly, and I blinked open my eyes. Everything looked fuzzy, and through the din, I made out the flicker of a flame in the torch rack. I testily moved my head to the side, feeling something soft beneath it. My throat felt dry, my lips parched as I drew my tongue over them.

"W-Water…" I croaked, a dry cough escaping my body. "W-Water-"

Cool liquid touched my lips, causing me to sputter. A hand beneath my head raised me up, and I drank eagerly. I gave a protesting whine when the pitcher was pulled away from my lips, though I could do nothing to get it back.

"Easy there, Rufus," Kaius said softly, his hand clasped firmly around my forearm. "You must not drink too much at once. You have only just woken up."

"Kaius…" I wheezed, coughing as I tried to speak.

"Shh…" Kaius whispered. "Lie still. Athena will return in a moment, and she will tell us if you are well enough to drink more. Until then be still; rest for a while."

Although I was tired, and sore in many places, I could not close my eyes again. I felt restless despite my injuries, a part of me wanting to rise and find the source of what I had experience. I began to become more aware as I laid there, my fingernails scratching the leather surface of what I believed to be a cot. I heard commotion around me, but it seemed a lot quieter than what I had experienced before. It was hushed, and the room I was in was warm. It felt crowded, and through the gloomy lighting I could make out the shapes of at least a dozen others in the vicinity. Some were lying outstretched on cots, while others stood or sat. One figure walked from cot to cot, stopping in front of each. I observed the figure's movements, watching as it moved or restrained each person in turn.

I winced at a sharp shout from another room, the figure quickly rising from where it had seated itself and leaving the room. Staring intently at the door, I waited for it to return. A moment later it walked back in, leading another figure, who limped across the floor to a spare cot near the corner. It knelt down to half its height, before standing once again. It walked towards me, and as it came closer I recognized who the figure was.

"Athena?" I asked, mildly surprised to see her. I should have known she would be here, considering the fact I was lying on a cot in the medical block. I suppose my mind had not linked two and two together at that point.

A warm smile graced her lips, although her tired eyes showed me what she was really feeling. She knelt down beside my cot, dabbing a wet cloth to my forehead. "Ah, Rufus, the friend of Lucios. It is good to see you awake again. You gave your poor brother Kaius quite a scare."

"Uh….huh…" Was all I could manage to say.

"Is he alright, then?" Kaius asked hopefully.

Athena nodded. "He will most certainly live, I can assure you. He has suffered a concussion, as well as a few minor sprains and bruises from that stampede you pulled him from." She gave a small huff and rose to her feet. "There were many wounded because of that panic, and we really do not even know what caused it as of yet."

"Did it….have to do with the freezing?" I asked, struggling to push myself up on my elbows.

"Now now, lie down," Athena coaxed me gently. I let myself collapse back onto the bed, wincing. "We believe that is what caused everyone to panic. All of us froze for some reason last night. None of us know what might have caused it. Some say it was divine intervention, others believe it was a curse. Lucius only complained about it. He has not gotten much sleep since yesterday, and since he had frozen in a stretching position, he was sore when he woke up. The poor old man can barely lift his hand above his shoulder. Which means I am the main surgeon around here. And with so many casualties, it is a wonder I am able to sit here and talk to you right now."

As she said this, there was another summoning yell from the next room. Athena quickly stood. Her eyes became clouded with fear. I opened my mouth to ask what the trouble was, but before I could she had already left the room. I exchanged a look with Kaius, who was silent. The people on the cots around me stirred, turning their heads and curious gazes to the doorway. I shrunk down beneath the thin woolen sheet that was covering me as Lucius' booming voice sounded.

"Quickly now! Oh, rush!" He yelled. "Get him on the table!"

"What have we got, sir?" Athena's voice asked.

"Numerous fractures, spinal damage, crushed lung- mercy! He is dying!" Lucius cried.

"Sir, I have no pulse present! All breathing has ceased!" She gasped.

There was the briefest of pauses before a heavy sigh came from Lucius. "He is dead. There is no more we can do for him. Return to your patients now."

Athena came trudging back into the room, her head bowed as she carefully weaved her way through the maze of cots. The injured laid back down as she passed, or turned their heads away in pity. I gazed at her, meeting her wearied green eyes. I felt a pang of sympathy in my heart, feeling sorry to see her under so much heartache and stress. She was not having an easy time. I was not a medic, but I could very well understand the guilt that someone of her field must feel when they lost a life at their hands. I took a moment to thank the gods that doctoring was not my profession.

"What...what happened?" Kaius inquired, frowning deeply as she strolled by.

Athena sighed, plopping herself down at the foot of my cot. "One of the men was shoved during the panic. He tripped and fell over the edge of the cliff." Kaius gasped in shock, putting a hand over his mouth. I shivered, imaging a fall from such a height. "He suffered numerous injuries, including many fractures to his spine. His right lung had collapsed too- and after that, there was no way we could have saved him."

"Who...who was he?" I asked.

"According to the men who brought him in, his name was Nicodemus," Athena whispered, her eyes closed tight as if simply speaking the name of the deceased man stirred her penitence.

I could not contain a startled gasp as I realized what had happened, Kaius took a sharp breath. Athena looked up quickly, her eyes distraught with emotional pain.

"You knew him, did you not?" She whispered quietly.

I nodded weakly, too shocked to reply with words. I had never really known Nicodemus, and I, in all honesty, had disliked the man. And yet, the shock was a great blow to me, considering the fact that not too long ago we had both partaken in the exploration outside of the city. It was a shame that he had been lost, dying in such a way as having his bones shattered upon impact. No man deserved to die in such a way.

Kaius spoke for me, his voice sincere. "Nicodemus was a good soldier. It is a shame to have lost him so soon. The Empire has lost a good man."

A growl escaped Athena's lips, and she stood quickly, glaring at Kaius. "Is that all that matters to you men? This 'mighty' Empire? When good men have to die for something, they do not die for a thing, they do not die for an entity. They die for the people, for other good people. They die fighting for _someone_ not for _something._ Nicodemus' death was a shameful one, that will haunt his spirit for eternity. Did you know he had a family? He had a wife and three children- one of which had just learned to walk yesterday. And you have the nerve to speak of him as if he was just some pawn in a game of chess? That is wrong, both of you are wrong." Kaius blinked Athena, unable to mask his surprise at her words. She sighed again, and let her head drop into her hands. "Forgive me for my words," She whispered. "I am under much strain, and I need a moment to settle myself."

"We understand," Kaius soothed, patting her shoulder rather awkwardly. "I can remain here with Rufus while you tend to your other patients. Is there anything specific that must be done for him?"

"No," Athena answered. "Just let him rest. I will check on his within the hour. He should be up on his feet before evening when all of this shall happen again."


	6. Chapter 6

The hush of the room was too quiet for me, and no matter how hard I tried, I simply could not make myself rest. I tossed and turned, restless to the call of sleep. I was eager to rise and leave the cot, but my head was not well enough to stand quite yet. On Athena's orders, I had been sentenced to at least another hour or so of rest. Boredom was inevitable, and after a while I was tempted to ask Kaius to run to the barracks and grab one of my scrolls for a good read. I asked for nothing.

I tried to take the time I had to think about what was happening. Why did we all freeze?. Who were the strange men who had attacked us? Where were we even? Though I tried to think about these questions, I could not focus on any one of them.

My mind kept drifting to Nicodemus, and the untimely demise he had suffered. I imagined the fear, the endless, gut-wrenching thrill of falling every time I closed my eyes. The sudden impact, which no doubt had been over ten times worse than what I had felt, tumbling sideways into a brick. Being a soldier, I should be use to the shock of death, but it seemed like such an unnatural occurrence for someone to die now. I felt miserable, guilty for not taking the time to get to know Nicodemus in life. To learn that he had a family made me feel worse. What they tell them? What would his wife do? What would become of his children?

It was not my fault, I was not even present at the time he had fallen. But I could not help but feel like I had something to do with his death. I desperately thought back to the day before, recalling every moment of our ill-fated expedition into the unknown world beyond the cliff where our city sat. Maybe if I had said something to him, the outcome would have been different. If I had extended my hand in friendship, or if I had looked for him upon my return to the top with Lucios.

My mind leaped from Nicodemus to Lucios. I had not seen the poor legionnaire since I had carried him to the medical block. Athena had not mentioned him, and I had not bothered to ask. I drifted back to the confrontation with the Surgeon and the General, and the words that Lucius had spoken.

" _I am not at all certain he will live." "Lucios, he has lost a lot of blood. He may be too faint to recover. He could fall into shock at any moment, or even a stroke if his body cannot refill itself. There is the fear of internal bleeding too," "And infection- the projectile is not known in our knowledge, and could have been coated with infection inducing dirt. If that is the case, I fear he will contract blood poisoning, and all that I can do is keep him comfortable until he passes."_

I could not help but feel afraid for him. What if he had a family too? What would his loss mean for Rome, and for me? I was not so sure how I felt about the possibility of losing Lucios. I rolled over on the cot, the woolen blanket shifting on my shoulders. I may not have cared before, but I could make myself care now? I knew I did not have to make myself care. Even if I could not prevent Nicodemus' death, I could still save Lucios.

 _But what can I do for him?_ I thought to myself, a frown on my face. I was not a medic and had no understanding of his condition. Therefore what could I do? As I thought about it, I heard Kaius yawn beside me. I shifted myself to peer over the side of the cot and saw he was resting on the floor, using his arms as a pillow as he dozed in the silence. I realized how lucky I was to have someone like him watching over me, offering his silent company while I recovered.

And then it hit me. The only person I knew who was willingly giving Lucios attention was Athena. Being a medical trainee, she was often busy. If she was not with Lucios, who was watching over him? Perhaps I could fill that empty space, where a friend would sit in silent loyalty, waiting for their comrade to wake again. As far as I had seen, Lucios had not a friend in this world. He was one of the few people I had not recognized after waking the first time. No doubt he must be awful lonely. If I could not heal him like a doctor, I could give him my time, perhaps lend him a caring ear or a smile to boost his moral.

I smiled at the idea, a feeling hope in my heart. The joy it brought to me, thinking of the life I could change, surprised me. And then I frowned again, a scowl on my face. Why was I thinking like some soft hearted philosopher? I had been a soldier almost my whole life, trained to be tough and uncaring as an eagle, mercilessly striking down its prey, fighting with its own for territory. Why should I care about Lucios? What had changed that soldierly attitude I had clung so dearly to in the past?

Sighing, I pushed myself up into a sitting position. The room was much quieter now, and I noticed there were fewer people in the cots. Only a few remained filled, with men and a few women, who had acquired injuries that prevented them from leaving the protective care of the medic. Those who were well enough to stand and walk had been sent either to their barracks or to their homes, depending on if they were soldiers or civilians. The wounded soldiers would remain in the medical block until they were deemed fit to leave, while the civilians no doubt would be given to the civilian doctors who lived in the city.

Although I was under orders to remain in my cot, I knew I was not going to rest. I slowly swung my feet over the side, feeling the cool marble tiles beneath me. My head throbbed softly, the pain much less severe than it had been, and I no longer felt nauseous. I was technically leaving my post since I had been ordered to stay where I was. According to military custom, a medic held the same rank as a Centurion. But Athena was not yet a medic, and a woman at that. I did not _have_ to follow her orders. I could move about if I wanted to. What was the worst she could do? Give me sleeping herbs?

Slowly, as to keep from disturbing Kaius, who I knew would surely force me to rest, I stood. I was wearing only my red military tunic, and felt a cold draft from above me. I shivered, and took up the woolen blanket. I wrapped it around my shoulders, and scanned the floor around my cot until I found my sandals. I slipped them onto my feet. Looking around, I tried to find where Lucios might be. I then spotted the bottom of what I thought was a cot in the far back corner of the room. There was a curtain around it, most likely to keep him from being disturbed by the other patients and encourage healing. Two shadows were visible, one lying still and the other shifting every so often.

I took a quick glance around the room, mindful of the other patients near me. None of them seemed to be paying me much attention, and after making sure Kaius was soundly sleeping, I made my way across the room. It was a long, narrow room, resembling a hallway. The sides were lined with cots, between which there was a wooden table with various medical supplies scattered on the tops, while a few held light colored flowers, no doubt used to lift the spirits of those nearby. There were a few windows in the room, but the shudders had been closed to keep out the unnatural light. I paused as I reached the white curtain, and listened.

Gentle humming met my ears, the kind of humming that reminded me of a mother soothing her child. The tone was soft, the tune moderate and rhythmic. I could not recognize the song, but it sounded sweet, placid- like a gentle wind. I reached out and grasped the white curtain in my fist, carefully drawing it aside. Candlelight flooded past me, lightly illuminating the face of a man to my right, who grumbled irritably and rolled over. I peered inside.

On the cot lay Lucios, as still and pale as I had last seen him, if not paler. He was covered by a few different blankets, his feet at the moment uncovered. His arms were set at his sides, his head turned so his cheek touched the pillow. His ruffled, coppery hair brushed away from his face. He twitched every so often, but was otherwise still. His cadaverous appearance gave off the sense of death, and for a moment I thought I was too late. But a small strand of hair, moving every few seconds gave away the small breaths he took. Athena was seated on a wooden stool beside the bed, her hand atop his as she hummed to him. With her other hand, she gently wiped his face clean. She balanced a bowl of mashed gruel on her lap, and a small pitcher of water on the floor at her feet.

I cleared my throat quietly, causing Athena to look up in surprise.

"Rufus?" She pronounced softly, her eyes widening in surprise. The bowl in her lap began to tip, and I instinctively reached out to stop its descent. She looked at me for a moment, her eyes ablaze with stern anger. "Rufus," She hissed. "You are supposed to be resting. What are you doing up?"

I shrugged. "You can not exactly enforce your orders, miss. I could not sleep."

She sighed, and with a small shake of her head chuckled. "You have some nerve, Rufus, for disobeying me. But I suppose you are right; what can I possibly do to make you listen to me. I am, after all, just a lowly lady medic. I should not even be here, I suppose."

I felt a stab of regret at my words, and slowly sat myself down on the edge of Lucios' cot. I was still holding the bowl, and I reached out to hand it back to Athena. "I meant no disrespect, honest." I insinuated. "I simply mean, with much respect, miss, that you really have not any power over myself or any other man here."

"Perhaps not," Athena admitted. She took the bowl roughly from my hands and set it on the floor beside the pitcher. "But at least I am smart enough to discern the cleverly disguised meaning to your words."

I winced, inwardly scolding myself for speaking in a way to make myself feel better at her expense. I looked aside at Lucios, and cleared my throat.

"How is he?" I asked. I was genuinely curious about his condition, but I will admit part of me said it to change the subject.

Athena sighed and bowed her head. "I am worried for him, Rufus. He grows weaker. When I came to check on him earlier, after I had finished tending to the casualties from this morning. He was slightly conscience for a short time, so I gave him some food, and some water to keep him hydrated. He just not drifted off again."

I could see the dismay in her eyes, and I hesitantly put my hand on her shoulder. She did not pull away, nor did she flinch. After a moment I removed my hand, and sat looking at Lucios. Again, I felt drawn to him, and the need to protect him suddenly came over me. Mimicking what I had seen done by medics before, I placed two fingers against his neck, feeling for a pulse. I felt nothing, and for a moment a wave of panic swept over me. I turned to Athena, my eyes portraying my fear. She leaned forward, grasping my wrist in her hand. She slid my fingers down a few inches, and held them still. After a moment I felt the pulsating blood beneath his skin, and inwardly breathed a sigh of relief.

"You are worried about him," Athena observed. "Why is that?"

"I honestly do not know," I answered truthfully. "I barely know the man, but I feel drawn to him. Like I care, even though I know less than his name."

"Friendship is funny that way," Athena explained gently, gazing down at Lucios. "You meet a person, and feel the beginnings of a connection. You might not feel these roots immediately- but soon they spread throughout your soul, and a seed of love grows within your heart. Love is more than a romantic feeling- it is the basic feeling of affection, and care for another person. Certainly you have heard of Plato, have you know?" I nodded, not sure where she was going with this topic. I was an avid reader, but Plato's works had never really come to my attention. "Plato talks about this thing called 'Platonic Love'. It states that all things share a mutual care and respect for each other, which can travel deeply through one's soul. Like the love between brothers, for example. Or friends, or the tough love between my old mentor Lucius and myself. It teaches us."

"Huh." Was all I managed to reply. I had never thought of my feelings in that way. I looked back down at Lucios, listening to his shallow breaths. "Do you think I have a seed of friendship in my heart for him?" I asked incredulously.

"Who knows?" Athena said, slowly sliding off of the stool. She bent down to pick up the bowl in the pitcher, gathering them in her arms. "Lucios is a very lonely man, the kind that could use someone like you around. You as well are lost, though I do not think you can tell. With myself not always able to be around him, perhaps you might come and visit every once in awhile?" She asked hopefully.

I considered the offer. I wanted to get to known Lucios better, but at the same time, I was afraid to. I do not really know why I was filled with such apprehensions; I just was. I might be too busy to visit. Then, my mind thought of Athena herself. She seemed desperate to have someone, anyone, around to look after her patient when she was busy. If he would not do it for Lucios, he would do it for her.

"Does he have anyone else visiting?" I asked.

She shook her head sadly. "No, I am afraid not. Besides you and I, no one has cared. The General came by while you were unconscious. He checked in on everyone, including you. He took a peek in at Lucios too. He does not wish to lose any of you."

"Because we are his main fighting force," I stated somewhat bitterly.

"He really does care for you, all of you," Athena promised. "You would do well to respect him."

Her scolding tone scalded me, and I pursed my lips together to keep from replying with something I might regret.

"You seem well enough to leave now," Athena said, gently pushing me out of the curtained space. "The General is due to make an announcement soon- he told me this morning. No doubt you will want to hear it. So will your brother, Kaius. Go wake him, and the two of you can leave."

I turned around to protest, not yet ready to leave the medical block. But she had already closed the curtain. I sighed, realizing how selfish I must have made myself seem. But there was nothing I could do about that impression now. I walked back over to my cot, and threw off my blanket. I was much warmer now. I pulled on my armor, which had been lying beside the cot, and tucked my helmet beneath my arm. I prodded Kaius with my foot.

"Weergh," He muttered incoherently, swatting at my foot. He cleared his throat as he woke, mid snore, and blinked up at me. "Wha- hey! What are you doing out of bed?"

"Athena said I could leave, and you, too," I explained. "So come. I have heard tell that the General will be making an announcement."

"It is about time," Kaius grumbled. "I have many unanswered questions."

I simply nodded and followed Kaius out of the dark, hallway-shaped room. I cast one last glance at the curtain behind me, but Athena had already vanished behind it. I sighed and left the room.


	7. Chapter 7

I was more than just curious as I walked out into the open of the city, following Kaius out of the medical block. I was eager to hear what the General had to say. There were many questions, at least, that I had, that needed answering. If our great general was as great as everyone claimed he was, then surely he would have the answers. Part of me knew it was unfair to expect him to know everything, and yet, another part of me felt contempt at the idea that he did not know the answers. As a soldier, I was reliant on him to direct me. But in the end, he was only a man, after all. He had no special, immortal powers. The only power her really had was the power of persuasion.

I frowned to myself as I realized that. Us soldiers,Kaius and I included, were the ones with the power. We could turn the tides of war, and, if a collective group of us decided, we could easily overthrow any leader we disliked. I quickly pushed these treacherous thoughts from my mind, ashamed at myself for thinking in such a way. Yet I could not shake the idea of having my own free-will.

Once again I chided myself for thinking in such deep ways. _Shut your mind now,_ I told myself. _Thinking can be dangerous. Be silent, and listen to what the general has to say. Then make the final judgment._

As we began to near the center of the Forum where the address would be held, I began to think about politics. Of all the things a soldier must wonder on, politics should be the last. Soldiers were trained to simply follow orders, and nothing else mattered. And yet, the politics of Rome intrigued me. I knew it was a dangerous game, to meddle in political affairs. It could be just as dangerous as soldiering. But I could not help but wonder what went on in the Senate building. I shivered. There was something sinister about them….

Kaius nudged me, drawing my attention away from my thoughts. He pointed to the steps of the Senate building, where the white-robed senators were gathering. "It looks like the party is here to witness the spectacle," He stated simply.

"The question is," I replied, scratching my chin. "Who holds the real power now that we are here?"

Kaius frowned and turned to me while we walked. "What do you mean by that?"

"I mean," I explained slowly, so his slow mind could keep up with me. "That our General may no longer be the man in power."

"Do you really think those white-arsed Senators can harm us?" Kaius chuckled, shaking his head. "I would like to see them try. I will bet you five denarii that none of them have even marched before."

I rolled my eyes. He did not know the power that the Senate had, and why I feared them so. There were many times in our Empire's history when the Senate had turned against the ruling man. Just a few years back, or, more rather, a few thousand years back, the Senate had murdered Julius Caesar, our old Dictator. Our General was the son of Caesar, or so it was claimed and was his rightful heir. I would not be surprised if the Senate turned on him, too. It would be a bloody affair if they did. I hoped that they would not, since we had enough to concern ourselves about without another power struggle.

"You forget how strong they are." I mused aloud. "I would not be surprised if they took a dagger to our General's back."

A worried expression crossed Kaius' face, and he paused mid-step, causing me to stop as well. "Do you really think they would?"

I shrugged "Who knows? Anyways, I believe we are close enough to the steps to hear what will be said. My head still aches, and I wish to sit now."

I did not wait for Kaius to answer before I plopped myself down on statue podium. It was the statue of Caesar, in all his glory, standing tall in the middle of the city. I remembered back to the few thousand years ago when I was still marching with the normal army. The Senate had been trying to pass a bill, stating that every statue and record of Caesar be torn down and destroyed. Octavius had left the camp around that time, on a return visit to Rome after our campaigns against the army of Marcus Antonius and Cleopatra. There had been rumors going around the camp that the General had left to challenge the Senate, and take control of Rome. Unlike Caesar, he had opted to leave his army behind, and cross the Rubicon on his own. I had never known the conclusion, for a few weeks later I had died.

Now I wondered if this speech would be the answer to the power question. With the city seeming to fall in and out of chaos, it made sense that we needed a strong leader to guide us. Personally, despite the mixed feelings I felt for him, I was hopeful that the General would be leading us. With him, at least, we would have an experienced leader. I was shaken from my thoughts as voices began to raise around me, and a crowd stormed into the center of the Forum, cheering loudly and applauding.

"Look! Look there!" Kaius said excitedly.

My eyes trailed down his finger and made out the figure of Centurion Marcus standing on the top step. He was in full armor, his cape folded neatly over his shoulder, and his crested helmet tucked under his right arm. He looked rather majestic, the perfect figure of soldierly strength. And then I saw his face. His face was ashen pale, his eyes glancing over the crowd with an uncertain, wavering gaze. His fingers tapped his helmet nervously, and he licked his lips, his feet shuffling uncomfortably on the marble step. I sighed in disappointment. He might look like a soldier, but he lacked the confidence of one.

And then a question hit me; where was the General?

"I wonder what he has to say," Kaius thought aloud. I noticed he was smiling, as if in admiration.

"You seem excited," I told him. "About the Centurion."

Kaius smiled slightly and clasped his hands behind his back. "The Centurion does not yet have an Optio. Before this….sudden life happened, I was very close to becoming his. If I am given the honor of being Optio to the First Spear Centurion, I could easily reach promotion."

I raised an eyebrow. "You want to be an Optio under him? Kaius, look at the man- he knows not what he is doing. Do you think it is worth serving under him?"

Kaius did not hesitate to answer. "It would be a great honor, Rufus, to serve under a man of such military status. Think of what that could mean for you. By your association to me, you could move up in the rank yourself. Besides, it will set up a good name for our family." He paused, then spoke again after a moment. "What do you have against the Centurion?"

I shrugged. I was not willing to go into detail about what I thought about the Centurion. I had my opinion, and Kaius had his. I was still wondering about what the Centurion had been mumbling about when I had run into him the day before. For some inexplicable reason, I did not trust him. But if Kaius was so excited about him, then I would not ruin his moment. He would soon learn; and if anything happened to him, I would kill the Centurion myself.

"I do believe he is about to speak," I noticed, changing the subject. "We shall see what he has to say, and learn why he is here and the general is not."

Centurion Marcus stood as tall as he could, the Senators flanking him on either side, one on each step. He cleared his throat and raised his right hand to get the attention of the crowd. No one silenced. He frowned and glanced at one of the Senators uncertainly. The man, an old man with graying strands of hair, turned his head, appearing to snap something at the insecure Centurion, who cringed and took a step back, like a frightened hound who had been struck by its master. He raised his hand again.

"Ca-Can I have your attention please?" He began, his voice just a bit too soft to be heard over the sound of excited and confused chatter. He raised his voice to repeat the request, his voice sounding like a dying cat, causing me to flinch. Everyone in the Forum fell silent, and all eyes turned to look at him. He audibly cleared his throat, took a breath, and began to speak. "Good people of Rome…." He began, glancing at the same Senator who was standing closest to him. The man said something, causing Marcus to frown, and repeat what he had said in a much more commanding voice. "Good people of Rome; I have come to speak to you today, in the hopes of sharing the news. It is news that will answer your questions, and that will hopefully put your hearts at ease. But before I begin, I must address other matters...the General Octavius sends his deepest regards to you all, and his regrets for not being able to speak to you this day. He awoke to feel rather ill of health, and on upon the opinion of the camp Surgeon he has remained in his quarters. In his place, he has sent me to address you."

There was a mixture of kindly wishes for the General's health, and irritated shouts of anger at the informal address. Marcus once again looked unsure, and he glanced once again at the Senator. This time, the man offered no assistance, leaving Marcus to his own words.

"A-As I was saying…." He paused to clear his throat again. "As I was saying; the General sends his regrets for not being present. There are many things he wished for me to tell you, including to the questions no doubt all of you are thinking. Some may surprise you, others may not." His gaze traveled over the crowd until his eyes landed on a woman with three children standing in front of her. "Octavius sends his atonements for the loss of your husband. Legionary Nicodemus was a brave man, and his accident was unjust and unfair. He will be remembered."

It was a rather blunt oration, but its words seemed to be heartfelt. The woman bowed her head in thanks, hugging her children tight. Those men and others who had known Nicodemus bowed their heads as well and all were quiet in respect. Marcus let the moment pass before he spoke again.

"Upon other matters," He began again. "The General wished for me to tell you all that the unusual freezing we all experienced earlier today was natural; at least, for this world-"

"What world is this even?" A voice yelled from the crowd.

"W-We are….not yet certain-" Marcus answered.

"If this freezing business is so normal, then what is causing it?" Another voice demanded.

"I-I do not know, but-"

"What can you tell us that the General cannot?" A soldier hollered from somewhere near me. "What makes you so special? If Octavius was talking we would be given answers!"

"Yeah!" A good many voices chorused together. There was a collective bout of talking as the people in the Forum began to shout their demands and curses, shaking their fists at the poor Centurion. I felt a jab of pity for him and was for a moment angry at the other people for being so disrespectful. Even if he was Marcus, it was not right to speak to a senior officer in such a way.

Marcus opened his mouth to say something more, but his voice was drowned out by the din of the Forum. He closed his mouth, his shoulders slumping as he gave the crowd a wistful, deflated look. He looked down at his feet in shame. I started slightly as something whizzed past my ear, and a tomato slammed into Marcus, splattering on his armor. But he did not move. He remained where he was, his head bowed. The Senator who had been instructing him raised his hands, taking Marcus' place on the stairs.

"Peace, ho! Peace there! Silence!" He shouted. The people immediately fell silent. "That is much better. Shame on you, all of you! Rome is on the eve of turmoil, and suffering from an unknown force that threatens to ruin her. We are facing enemies of all sorts, some physical and some unknown. We do not have time to wail about our opinions and ailments while our city is dying. Shame! This is all I shall say for now. Dismissed!" He turned to leave, then spoke before the crowd could babble. "Optio Kaius- meet me here on the steps. That is all!"

I turned to look at Kaius, who was staring at the steps in confusion. "Kaius?" I asked, nudging him in the side with my elbow.

He looked at me and shrugged as if he already knew the answer to my question. "I suppose I will see you later on," He said.

I nodded. "Yes, you will. I am going to go for a stroll- good luck, brother."

"Thanks…." Kaius muttered. He made to walk away before I grabbed his shoulder. "Kaius, perhaps it is your promotion."

His lips parted into a small smile. "I hope you are right." He said. He then turned and walked away, weaving through the crowd towards the stairs.

I watched him leave, and then casually walked to the edge of the Forum. I saw the Centurion Marcus pass by, and I pretended to be looking for someone. I glanced at him, noting the look of despair and failure on his fine features. He turned a corner, and without thinking, I followed him.


	8. Chapter 8

Xxxx the love mentioned in this chapter is platonic xxxX

Like a silent lion stalking its prey, I silently followed Marcus through the narrow streets of Rome, mindful of his every mood. I clung to the shadows, disappearing out of his line of sight whenever he turned around. I could tell he feared being followed- I could tell by the way he walked, casting anxious glances over his shoulder every few steps. Occasionally he would pause, acting as if he was looking for something or restrapping his sandals. He was on edge, and out of fear of being discovered I began to purposefully fall behind him.

I followed him out of an alleyway, and frowned as I realised he had led me in one big circle around the Forum. I observed him as he stopped in front of a food vendor. He held up two fingers and said something, the man behind the counter handing him to small amphoras. For a moment I thought they contained wine, but I noticed steam rising from them, and then a large cauldron of what smelled like soup. He reached into the small leather pouch attached to his belt, and handed the man a few coins. He was then on his way again.

I followed him for a short while longer, the whole time contemplating what he could be up to. Soup was not very suspicious, but I could tell by his weary motions that what he was doing was something that he wished for no one, at least, no one he feared, to know. I did not think I fell under that category. I suppose I used that excuse to still my conscious about my immoral decision to follow him, discovering his secrets. There was just something within me, some curiosity that made me wish to seek him out. Perhaps it was a conviction, a will of mine to discovery some horrible secret of his, and use it to get him banned from the Centuriate. It would be cruel of me, and I stifled the jealousy I felt towards him.

 _You are doing this for Kaius,_ I told myself as I continued to follow Marcus, trailing behind him ever so carefully. _This is the man he wants to serve under. Let it be seen if he is a noble man. If he is not, then he is not worthy of Kaius' help and admiration._

Marcus abruptly turned down a narrow side road, disappearing from my sight. My heart quickened as I began to fear I had lost him. I doubled the speed of my pace, and turned the corner. It was the back entrance to the camp, which led directly to the General's private quarters. In any regular army, the door would be guarded. But the General was a trusting man, who feared no ill-will from his men. I looked around for Marcus, but I did not see him. Part of me knew I should give up, but another part of me was unwilling to give up the chase. A flicker of movement a short ways ahead of me caught my attention. There was a slash of a red cape, which vanished behind a closed wooden door. I glanced around. No one was nearby, and those close enough to see me would not care. There was a low window beside this door, and I pressed myself against the outside wall. Sliding along quietly, I crouched low so I was directly below the windowsill. I listened.

There was a cough, and what sounded like some poor fellow hacking up a lung.

"My, you sound worse than this morning." Marcus' voice said.

"It could be worse," A voice croaked back. I recognized it as the General's, although it was distorted by illness.

"I fail to see how it could be any worse than now," Marcus said plainly. "This most recent bout of illness is most untimely."

"Yes, well, what can be done?" There was another attack of coughing, followed by a weak groan. "I feel miserable,"

"You look miserable," Marcus replied, a small chuckle in his voice. "You look like something that has come out of, well, and ass' arse."

"Thank you kindly for that comparison," Octavius spoke back, in an equally teasing tone. He sneezed suddenly, followed by a small wheezing sound, and another groan. "I hate not being present for a speech. Did it go well, Marcus? How are the people? Did they receive you well?"

"Ha," Marcus scoffed bitterly. I heard the sound of clinking pottery above my head and smelled the scent of soup as he set the amphora down. "I was received in some way, but not well."

I could not see what was happening, but I knew the General was most likely frowning.

"They treated you poorly?" He asked, his voice sounding disappointed.

"They did, Octavius. They threw things at me. I thought they would surely have my head." Marcus answered.

"Are you sure you are not exaggerating the last bit? They would not harm you, surely. Did they try to harm you? Did anyone touch you?" Octavius asked, clearing his throat with a cringe-worthy gurgle. There was the sound of a splatter as gook was spat out, and then a painful sounding wheeze.

"Octavius, you must not worry yourself over me," Marcus said gently. "You are ill and must rest yourself. Do not work up your blood for my sake. The people need their leader, and you need to heal."

"Nonsense," Octavius groaned. I heard the soft sound of feet touching the floor and a grunt. "S-See? I-I am well enough to stand and walk-" _Crash!_

It took all my nerve not to jump in surprise. I heard a gasp from Marcus, and the sound of a body hitting the floor, followed by a deep, keening groan.

"Octavius!" Marcus exclaimed. There was the shuffle of feet and the sound of a cot creaking as someone laid upon it. "You must not stand rise yet! You are not well- not well at all! What would Lucius say if he saw you just now? You could have hurt yourself!"

A bout of coughing. "I-I am fine- really, I am fine."

"No, you are not fine." Marcus continued. "I came here to bring you something to eat, and to offer my company. Not to have you fall down with worry. Save the fainting for the women, my dear friend."

"I did not faint," Octavius grumbled. "But Marcus, what did they do to you?"

"Besides pelt me with tomatoes?" Marcus asked. "Not much else, except for the yelling scolds and shouts and insults."

"What about Petronius?" Octavius' tone darkened, and I sensed a change in mood. "Has he said anything?"

"Nothing about our current fear," Marcus answered quietly, his voice immediately dropping. I had to strain my ears to listen further. "He was rather impatient with me. I tried to do what you asked of me, I truly did! I just got so frightened, Octavius. I know not why I was afraid-"

"Marcus, you put yourself through much," Octavius whispered. "Far too much than one man can take at times, and for this reason, I fear for you. You are not yourself anymore. Not since this all started. I think you have had enough of this undercover work, Marcus."

"No," Marcus answered quickly. "I can not stop what I have already begun without finishing. If these men are truly out for blood, you will be their first target. I can not let them get to you, Octavius. As long as I live they shall not lay a ringed finger upon you. And if they do, I swear I shall cut them down without mercy."

There was a small exhale of breath from Octavius, which might have been an attempted laugh. "You take this threat to heart, Marcus. I am concerned as well; but more for your sake. If I did not love you so dearly, my friend, then I would let you continue this quest of yours. But since I do, I can not let you continue doing this dangerous deed for me."

"Octavius-"

"Enough." Octavius' voice rang out, sounding strained. He fell into another bout of coughing, which soon subsided as he exhaled a sigh. "Marcus, I say this with love, but this is not your kind of work. If I were to lose you I do not know what I would do. We have known each other since our days as small boys, when we use to live on the edge of the river. Do you remember that?"

"Yes, I remember," Marcus replied, sighing. "You had that wooden toy boat that would always float away with the current. The one I would have to retrieve. You never seemed to keep it in one place."

"The adventures we had, in the olive grove?"

"Yes, those were wonderful."

There was a sigh from Octavius. "Those days are so far away now that I feel old."

"You are not old," Marcus soothed. "You are only in the early years of thirty. As am I. If you are old, then so am I. And I do not like to be called old. So, I must fight you for my honor."

Laughter drifted to my ears, and despite what I was hearing I could not help but smirk.

"Now; to bring up a more lighthearted topic, have you decided on your Optio yet?" Octavius asked.

"Yes, I believe I have," Marcus replied, now sounding more relaxed. "I do believe I have settled on Optio Kaius. I have seen how responsible he is, and how well he follows orders. He also seems to be an adventurous soul, which is good for a young man to have. I would like to request him to be my Optio."

"Alright then, and good choice," Octavius commented. "He will be most pleased, I am sure of it."

I could not help but smile at Kaius' good fortune. Yet, I was still not sure if I was happy that he would be serving under Marcus. The man definitely had secrets; ones I swore to myself that I would uncover.

"Well," Marcus said, his feet sounding nearer. "I should be off. I have paperwork to see to. As you know, being a Centurion is a lot of paperwork. I think it is a silly establishment." He sniffed.

"I agree," Octavius answered. "I should hope to be well by tomorrow. Lucius said the illness should pass. Oh, gods! Why am I cursed with such an illness, that it should come again and again, at the worst of times?"

"I know not," Marcus replied comfortingly. "Perhaps it will go away."

"I hope that every time," Octavius sighed. "Well, then, since you must be off in such a rush, I bid you well."

"I will be alright," Marcus said reassuringly. "I shall see you tomorrow."

"Good luck, my friend."

I heard the doorknob rattle, and I dove behind a stack of wheat sacks. Marcus exited the room, closing the door with a light click. He took a deep breath, and looked around once again. The calm aura that had been in his tone while he was with the General had vanished, and he once again held the look of a fearful man, uncertain about his future. He passed by the wheat, oblivious to my presence. I waited a good moment or two before I unveiled myself. There was no sign of the Centurion, and I slinked back out of the narrow road, and onto the main street.

As usual, there were many questions pulsing through my head. Why had Marcus been acting so secretive? What were he and the General afraid of? Who was Petronius? I had answers for none of these and knew only that they were somehow all connected.

 _He must be afraid of this Petronius man,_ I figured. _Perhaps he is acting so cautious because he fears he will discover something. He must be a dangerous man if he frightens the General._

I thought on the matter for another moment, before pushing it to the back of my head. My stomach growled, and I realized that the smell of the soup had made me hungry. I walked over to one of the many street vendors and purchased a loaf of bread and some cheese. I considered buying an amphora of wine but decided against it. My head was still a little achy, and I did not feel like adding the discomfort of a hangover to my pain.

I eventually made it back to my barracks. Normally, a barracks block would house eight men. But since we were at peace, we had been given the privilege of having more open spaced barracks. Instead of eight men, we were split into groups of four. My barracks block at the moment was rather empty. Nicodemus was supposed to be one of my roommates, but he was now gone. And Lucios was hospitalized. The only other person in the group was Kaius.

I pushed open the door to the barracks. It was exactly how I remembered it from the days when I was alive in Rome, causing me to grin. Kaius, who slept on the top bunk, above mine, had his legs dangling over the side. He looked up quickly as I entered, and tried to inconspicuously tuck something beneath his pillow. I paid no mind to it. Kaius had many woman suitors, and it was probably a love not of some sort. I smiled.

"Kaius," I said, smiling widely. "I have just returned from buying supper in the marketplace. I have bread and cheese, and I believe we have some fruit somewhere about here that we can have for dessert. I did not buy any wine, though. I figured we could go a few days without a drink."

"Good," Kaius replied.

I frowned. I had been expecting jubilation and excitement from Kaius. Not a down disturbed demeanor.

"Are you now excited?" I asked, frowning.

"What?" Kaius asked, looking up at me again. "Why would I be excited?"

My frown deepened, and an uneasy feeling fell over me. "You were promoted...to serve under Centurion Marcus…"

Kaius blinked. "I was?" He asked, sounding surprised.

"You were," I replied. I did not understand why he seemed so unhappy. This was something he had wanted for a while now. "Did you not hear?"

Kaius shook his head. "I did not hear anything about a promotion. Where did you hear it?"

"Oh…" I said, not wanting to reveal my little spying excursion. "I overheard the Centurion talking about it to some of his colleagues. Come!" I coaxed, nodding to the back wall, where the wooden table was standing, surrounded by four empty stools. "It is time to eat."

Kaius slowly climbed down from the bunk and took his seat. I followed suit and offered him a small as I attempted to make conversation. "What were you called for at the Forum?" I asked.

"What? Oh...nothing." Kaius answered.

I felt suspicious of the answer and pressed him further. "Who called for you?"

He hesitated for a moment, chewing slowly on a piece of bread. He opened his mouth and spoke one name which made me shiver. "Senator Petronius."


	9. Chapter 9

I awoke from my sleep by the same tingling feeling that came when I awoke from my unnatural sleep. For a moment I was frightened, remembering what had happened to me the day before- the last time I had woken. My breaths became more relaxed as I waited for my body to feel again. I made an experimental fist, marveling at how quickly the movement happened this time around. I figured I must be getting used to it, the unusual freezing at a certain day. I knew I was certainly becoming used to it.

I sat up, stretching my arms over my head. My white sheet slipped down from my barren chest, and I immediately felt the cold draft that came from through the window. I shivered and pulled the sheet back over me while I remained in my position. It was no wonder I was cold, for I was wearing only my loincloth. The room felt empty of all life, save for Kaius' snoring from above me. I leaned out over the side of my bed, craning my head to look up at the top bunk. Kaius had his arm hanging over the side, his fingers twitching slightly as he slept. I smiled, recalling our childhood days, when I, being the younger brother, would sneak into his bed when I was five after having a bad dream. He would always pretend to be angry, but I knew he liked the company. Now that we were older, I did not find sharing a sleeping space as nice. Especially since he snored.

Looking around, I felt a sudden stab of loneliness. The room, which was of an average size, was empty save for Kaius. Back when I was in the actual Rome, I had shared a room with seven other men- and I had always grumbled about the inconvenience. Now that the numbers had been cut, it was much more quite. I sighed and felt a small pang in my heart. I did not want to admit it, but I was lonely. And bored. Bored and lonely. I was not sure if anyone else was up yet. Many of the citizens had decided to fall asleep, as they had usually done, before the "freezing time", as it had been referred to, came to claim them. They hoped it would save another panic, and make the process of waking up more comfortable. I did not know if it had helped other people, but it had made little change for me.

After a few moments of squandering in my bed, I decided to pay Athena a visit. She had been kind to me, although I had been rather difficult. Perhaps she would be of some company. I did not admit it, but a large part of me was also eager to check on Lucios. Among the other worries I had, I was also concerned for him. I still knew very little about him, but I had begun to feel a sort of connection with him- something drawing me, urging me to be around him. Besides confusing me, it also gave me a warm feeling inside. One that I found to be rather comforting in the world of mine that was ever becoming cloudy.

Slipping my feet out of the covers, I made myself ignore the chill and walk over to the large chest at the foot of my bed. I quietly opened it, grabbing out my tunic. I was not on duty today, so I did not need to haggle with putting on my armor. I slipped the tunic over myself, pulling at the bottom hem to unbunch it from around my shoulders. I bent down to put on and tighten my sandals. I smiled to myself, the small thrill of doing something with my time making me happy. My stomach growled. I softly padded over to the table, breaking a piece from the leftover loaf Kaius and I had eaten for supper.

Shoving it in my mouth with ravenous bites, I glanced over my shoulder at Kaius. He was still soundly asleep, and I knew he would not wake for another long while. I quietly slipped through the door and set off across the camp.

There was little commotion in the camp, with only a few soldiers and the men who had been put on sentry duty were up. I heard the sound of voices from the General's headquarters, more than a few, and figured he was briefing the duty officers on their next assignment. As I passed by the entrance to the camp, I saw a few citizens milling about aimlessly. Some were out to buy breakfast, while some were simply out enjoying a nice walk. I looked up at the strange light emanating from above us and sighed. I missed the usual, soft glow of the early morning sun. It gave a man's eyes time to adjust to the change of light. But this new Rome did not have any such sun. It was a shame; I would have given anything to sit and watch a sunset.

With that thought, I reached the medical block and rapped on the door. My ears were greeted with an irritable mutter as the door opened to reveal Lucius. He looked tired, his eyes drooping and his body still clothed in a night cloak. I offered a cheery smile and bowed slightly.

"Good morning, sir. I have come calling for-"

"Go home, soldier." Lucius yawned, reaching out to push me away from the door. "It is too early for you to be here."

I could not help but feel a twinge of disappointment, and I tried again to plead my case. "Sir, I simply wish to visit Lucios-"

"No," Lucius answered sternly. He was scowling, and I knew he meant business. "Lad, it is too early for him to be stirring. It is too early for you to be stirring. Go back to bed."

"But, sir-"

"Be gone I said!" Lucius boomed angrily.

I flinched, and instinctively shrunk back. Lucius slammed the door shut, which probably woke up at least half the city. I was infuriated. I balled my hands into fists, preparing to kick down the heavy wooden door if I had to. I had come to see Lucios, and see him I would. But I knew an angry fit would do little good. Lucius was a stubborn old man, and I knew he would not yield.

"Psst, Rufus!"

I turned at the sound of my voice, looking around for its source. For a moment I could see nothing to suggest who had called me. Then, I picked out the shadow of a person leaning out from a side door in the medical block. I frowned and slowly approached.

"Oh, do come faster." The voice whispered. "If you walk so slow, he will be asleep before you even make it inside."

I felt a smile pull the corners of my mouth as I recognized the voice. "Athena?"

"Yes, yes." She replied quickly. "Now come, quickly."

I did as I was told, and walked with a longer stride over to the door. She stood there in the doorway, dressed in her usual work tunic, beckoning me inside with a quick flick of her wrist. I looked around before I entered, and she closed the door behind me. The room went dark, and there was no light. A candle flared in front of me, illuminating Athena's face. She smiled and gestured for me to follow her.

"I thought I heard your voice at the door," She explained in a hushed tone as we passed the beds of sleeping patients. "I knew you were here to see Lucios. I had to let you see him somehow."

"Is he awake?" I asked, more urgently than I had anticipated.

"Oh yes, he is now," Athena said. "He woke just a little bit ago. He is more aware than he was the first time he woke yesterday. I actually managed to get him to eat about half a bowl of broth, and even a small bit of bread." I gave a soft sigh of relief, causing Athena to chuckle. "You were worried about him?"

"Yes," I nodded. "I was...concerned about him."

"Concerned, worried- it matters not. All that matters is that you cared about him." Athena hummed cheerily. "He will be happy to know that there is someone who cares about him."

I frowned. "Has no one come to visit him?" I asked, feeling pity for the poor man.

Athena shook her head, her hair aglow in the candlelight. "Octavius was supposed to come and visit him yesterday- but he fell ill, the poor man. I visited him earlier this morning after I was sure Lucios was stable enough to be left alone. He was much better when I got there. And in quite a decent mood. Marcus had been talking with him when I came in. They both seemed cheery."

"I heard the voices of more men inside headquarters on my way here," I told her.

"Yes, they were arriving as I left," Athena replied simply. "The General was talking about leading another patrol from the city. He wants to see if he can locate the location of those strange men you all encountered. He also wants to explore beyond the large room our city is in."

"His last patrol did not go well," I grunted, not too keen on another doomed ride out from the city. "Lucios was hurt- and the rest of us could have followed him, or have been killed."

"He knows," Athena whispered softly. "But he has little choice in the matter. The Senate has been pressuring him to do something. They claim that Rome will run out of food if we do not push forwards into new lands."

I snorted. "Silly thought, that." I knew the claim was logical, but coming from the Senate it seemed like a load of bollocks. "The Senate thinks they can scare us into submission. They always have. That is how they rule over us."

"The Senate use to be the ruling power, so it makes sense why they would envy Octavius so. Especially since he is the son of Caesar. Alas, the poor man. He has enemies on all sides" Athena stated. They stopped in front of the white curtain that blocked Lucios from the other patients.

"You pity him, do you not?" I asked, curious why she kept bringing him up.

She did not look at me and cleared her throat. "I feel for him, yes. But that is beside the point. Lucios? Are you still awake?"

"I am," A voice croaked back.

Athena pulled open the curtain, allowing the candlelight to spill over Lucios. I entered after her, taking in his appearance. He looked pale, his cheeks gaunt and his eyes sunken. His arms were folded over his chest, his head leaned back, slightly propped up against his pillow. He was still covered in many blankets, although some had begun to slip to one side, revealing his bandaged wound. There only a light crimson stain on the linen. The one good thing I could see, besides the fact that he was awake, was that his breathing was less labored than it had been the day before.

I smiled. "Lucios," I said with a greeting tone. "It is good to see you up and not asleep for once." He returned the smile, but his dull eyes looked rather confused. "I came to see you yesterday, but you were unconscious."

"You must forgive me," Lucios pleaded, his voice low and weak "I hope you were not disturbed by my image."

"No, of course not," I reassured him gently. I took a seat on the wooden stool beside his cot. "I was rather concerned, I will admit."

Lucios look surprised. "You were...concerned about me?" He asked.

"Of course I was," I let my arms fall into my lap as I spoke. "Honestly, if you truly want to know; I am just as surprised at why I was worried." Lucios was silent for a moment, looking down at himself. For a moment I feared I had offended him, and I quickly attempted to reword what I had said. "I mean, yes, I was worried, but-"

A deep inhale of breath and a wince from Lucios interrupted my words. "You...really did care?" He asked, his voice tinted with disbelief. I nodded. "That is...very kind of you. Few people really bother over me."

I raised an eyebrow. "No one?"

He weakly shook his head. "No. Only Athena. She takes really good care of me. Whenever I need her she has been there. She is very kind."

"She is," I agreed. "But, you really have no one? No, no friends? No comrades?" He shook his head. "No family?"

"No."

I again felt that same pang of pity, as well as a feeling of guilt. It seemed weak of me to become sentimental over a stranger's loneliness, but there was a sort of sadness in his dark eyes that touched my heart. I thought back to my own feelings of loneliness a short while ago and made my decision then and there.

"Well, let us change that," I said, smiling.

Lucios looked confused. "Change what?"

I gave him a small laugh and spoke in a joking tone. "Oh, you naive soldier- let us change your friendless demeanor. I will keep you company this morning. I do believe you could use it, as could I."

"Really?" Lucius gasped softly. "You would...you would do that for me?"

"Why not?" I said, giving my shoulders a careless shrug in an attempt to preserve some of my professional attitudes. Lucios smiled. We stared at each other for a moment, an uncomfortable silence growing between us. I cleared my throat. "So...how are you feeling?"

Lucios tried to shrug, but failed miserably and slipped further down his pillow. I leaned forwards and helped him reposition himself, and he nodded a thanks to me before answering. "I suppose I have been alright. I have been better, as you can see." I knew he was referring to his wound, so I nodded. "I have been less tired than I had been earlier, and I do not hurt as much."

"Not even an ache?" I asked, to keep the conversation hurting.

"Well, an ache or two," Lucios answered truthfully. "It does hurt here and there, but I think it is just the stitches tearing at my skin. Athena says in a few more weeks I should be well enough to walk. And then she will have me stay for a short time longer, and then I can go back to the army."

"You must be excited about that," I pointed out.

"Well, to be honest…" Lucios hesitated. "Can I...can I confide in you?"

"Sure," I said.

He took a deep breath, and let it out slowly. "I am not a soldier. I am a failure. I am so frightened of everything….the rush of battle may flow within your blood, and the blood of my comrades, but it does not flow within me. I feel I am not up to the challenge of soldiering, and that I am nothing but a coward." He paused, then added with a whisper, "Nothing but a coward to Rome."

"You are not a coward," I scolded. "So do not go thinking that. You do not have to enjoy fighting to be a soldier. Your dislike of it is understandable, and a natural part of man's nature."

"No," Lucios shook his head. "It is not man's nature, it is my nature. You see, I am a man who can enjoy the little things. A good book, a sunny day, a friend's company, for example. You see, life is such a precious thing- and I am lucky to still have it. I do not wish to throw it away for a lost cause. I know that is cowardice, but it is how I feel."

"I do not think it cowardice to fear for yourself," I replied gently.

"It is not myself I fear for," Lucios explained quickly. "No, not myself, completely. I fear for those I might hurt. Nicodemus use to always say, 'Do not think about them. They do not matter. Just keep stabbing.' He would call me a coward sometimes, too. But I understood what he was saying."

"Nicodemus can not hurt you anymore," I whispered.

Lucios frowned. "But he never did-"

"Nicodemus is dead," I concluded. I was not sure how Lucios would take the news, but it had to be said sooner or later.

For a moment he did not move or speak. I sat there awkwardly, trying to figure out what I might have said wrong. After a long few moments of quiet, he took a slow, measured breath, and spoke.

"Poor Nicodemus," He whimpered. There was a sadness in his tone, which confused me. "He was a good man, he really was- he was just going through so much, it made him angry, and bitter….what happened to him?"

"He...fell over the cliff edge."

Another sharp intake of breath. "That poor man…"

We were silent again before I thought of a new discussion topic. "Lucios, you like to read, do you not?"

"Why...I suppose," He answered. There was still a sadness to his tone that I did not fail to miss. "Why do you ask?"

"Because I read a lot too," I replied. "What do you read?"

Lucios thought for a moment before answering. "I read poetry a lot, and the histories sometimes. I also like to read the works of the playwrights."

I smiled. "I do too. Have you read Plautus' _The Swaggering Soldier_ and _The Persian_?"

Lucios' face lit up immediately, and I knew I had struck a point. "Oh yes, I love his works! He truly was a talented man. I have seen _The Persian_ performed before. I want to see his play, _Stichus_ at some point. Which one do you favor?"

"Personally, I liked _Curculio_. But the others were good too."

Lucios smiled widely. "You are the first person I have met who speaks so fondly of such plays."

"Well, I am not as uncultured as I might look." I shrugged.

"Yes, well, it is nice to find someone who-"

Lucios' words were cut off as a trumpet sounded outside. "That would be the call to morning attendance," I sighed. "I suppose the General is getting us all back on schedule."

Lucios smiled. "Then you must off before you are missed."

I stood, and gave Lucios a small salute. "I will return again later, today or tomorrow. And then we can discuss more of Plautus."

"Yes, I would like that." Lucios agreed.

I gave him a small wave and left through the curtain. I passed by Athena, who was busy looking over another patient. I had not even noticed she had parted our company. We exchanged a smile, and I left through the same door I had entered. I felt happy, and I knew then that I rather liked Lucios. It would be nice to have a new friend like him, and I swore I would see him whenever I could.


	10. Chapter 10

I was already standing in the parade ground before Kaius showed up. Having already been awake for a while, I was one of the first men to make it to the open yard, and I stood in my appointed position, waiting for the other men of my cohort to show up. _Typical,_ I thought to myself as I waited impatiently. _Such irresponsible men are never on time._ Casually, the men began to drift out of their barracks and take their places beside, in front of, or behind me. To my immediate left, there stood the novice Anthonius- who was more of a joke than a soldier. He had joined the legions a month before I had been killed, and had died a mere three weeks after his first day. So he had very little experience, which I could clearly tell by his appearance.

His childish face showed with exhaustion, usual for a trainee, and his eyes drooped with sleepiness. His crooked helmet half hid his motley black hair, which partially fell over his eyes. The straps of his helmet hung in a loose knot beneath his chin, showing his clumsy skills at simply tying a knot. At least his armour was on right. Even though it was not necessary.

I thought it kind to let him know that his attire was completely inappropriate for the occasion. I elbowed his arm. "Boy," I said in an even tone. "Your armor is shining today, young Anthonius."

"Really?" Anthonius asked, his sleepy eyes brightening as he beamed. "Why, thank you for noticing! I-"

"But it is a completely unnecessary waste of time to wear such apparel for a simple news meeting." I explained. I will admit I was being somewhat rude- but the young pup needed to get it through his thick head. It was better that he knew now than later.

Anthonius' smile immediately faded away. "Oh…" He said quietly. "I am sorry…"

I slapped a hand on his shoulder good-naturedly. "Ah, all is well, pup. You will learn one day."

Anthonius pouted, his bottom lip sticking out. "I am not a pup!" He snapped indignantly. "I am a soldier of Rome, belonging to the legions! One of the greatest forces in history! I-"

"Am a rich, spoiled, naive fool." I finished.

I felt kind of bad as I watched his indignity become disgrace, but I knew the tough scolding would make him stronger. It was how I learned to be a soldier. One had to be able to take a blow- whether it be to their physical person or their pride. In the army one lived by the sword, and died by it. The key to being the killer and not the killed was resilience. Anthonius was lucky to be alive again, and if he was to make the most of this miraculous chance, then he would need to strengthen his leaves into thorns, and secure his roots into the fertile grounds of the legion.

"Of course, with time," I finished bluntly. "Even a silly pup can learn a trick or two. Keep your chin up- and wear your armor proudly."

He gave me a curt nod, biting his lip. He was not yet a legionary, so I could get away with the rough treatment for a while at least. I turned my attention back to the foreground of the parade ground. The officers of the legions were already present, standing in two even rows on either side of where the General would stand. All of them were present, except for Kaius.

"Excuse me, pardon me, oh, my bad, watch yourself-"

I stole a glance over my shoulder, spotting the crest of Kaius' helmet rise above the heads of the other soldiers. I was unable to hide a smirk as I watched him struggle through the crowd and to the front, at his place beside Centurion Marcus. Marcus turned his head slightly, his lips moving as he muttered something to him. Kaius looked crestfallen, but he kept his back straight and his eyes forwards. A moment later, the door opened from the headquarters building, and the General stepped out into the light.

"Commanding officer present!" Marcus barked, standing stiffly.

There was a sort of sharp, shuffling noise as we snapped to attention. Next to me, Anthonius was struggling to hide his shame at his choice of dress, his hands opening and closing into nervous fists. I gave him a small nudge, shaking my head slightly to indicate that he should be calm. I turned my eyes forwards again to look at the General.

The General Octavius stood with a tight posture, his hands clasped behind his back. Although he held his spine straight, his shoulders were slumped forwards in a relaxed position. He did not look ill, but looked tired. He passed his eyes over us, a serious glare in his pupils.

"At ease, gentlemen." He ordered. I let my position slack. "I ask that you forgive me this morning for calling you all here on such short notice." There were a few voices that rose to voice their complaints. He raised his hand to silence them. "I know it is never an easy thing to wake up in the morning, and I will tell you there are mornings where I would rather sleep than stand here and talk. But I have not that luxury, and as long as you are the men of Rome neither do you. Now. I have a few announcements to make this morning. First, I have to announce a new promotion. Optio Kaius, could you please step forwards?"

Kaius started, looking surprised to have been recognized. He swallowed and stepped out of his line to stand in front of the General. Octavius smiled.

"I hear that you are now the Optio of Centurion Marcus, is that so?" He asked.

Kaius nodded. "Yes, sir."

"That is a quite an honor, to serve under the First Spear Centurion- and a lot of work as well. Do you think you are up for it, Optio Kaius?"

"Yes, sir!" Kaius promised.

"Good." Octavius smiled, and nodded back to Kaius' spot in the line. He waited until Kaius had reached it, before continuing. "Now that the promotion is done, there are a few things I would like to make clear to you all. You are good men, all of you; and responsible, too. I trust you all, as do those who live outside of the fort, in the town. I know we are in a rather precarious situation. We do not know where we are, and there are, no doubt, enemies in this land. Which is why the Senate has requested that I initiate some new policies. They have requested that we revert back to our original camp activities, and that I enforce the camp regulations, and continue our responsibilities."

The men around me groan, and I could not help but add my disappointed voice. The last thing any of us wanted to do was drilling exercises, and no one in their right mind enjoyed being on watch duty. And it was not only that. There would be latrines to scrub, the horses to tend to, although the was the auxiliaries' job, and routine inspections. Everything that made army life miserable. And for the officer's, paperwork and strength returns. I sighed. Kaius would be doing a lot of grumbling soon.

"I know, I am not excited either," Octavius soothed. "However much we loathe it, we are still soldiers. There will also be a few barrack changes. Some of the rooms, I have noticed, are rather full, while others have as few as two men in their walls. I would like the maximum to be four, since we are at peace for the moment. You men are elite, and deserve a somewhat comfortable residence. I will try to ask the Senate for incentives for you. Perhaps, maybe, weekly passes to the bathhouse?" Excited murmurs came from the men, causing the General to give a small chuckle. "I thought you might like that. Now that housing is out of the way, it is time we discuss more important matters. No doubt you have noticed that there is another room, so to speak, outside of the one which houses our city? The Senate has given me orders to explore beyond the threshold."

I felt a stab of anxiety at the thought of leaving the safety of the city again, remembering what had happened my last time out. There were a few other fearful murmurs too, and I noticed how Marcus shifted uncomfortably. Whether Octavius noticed or not, he did not say.

"I want to take ten men, with provisions for several days, and who are prepared to-"

 _Boom!_

There was a loud bang from the other side of the city, which caused the ground beneath us to tremble like an earthquake. I shook as the ground lurched beneath me. A few of those men who had been caught off guard stumbled or fell, while others stood with their feet braced apart, their faces full of fear. I turned my frightened eyes to the General, who stood with his arms out, his head stiffly turned to look at the other end of the city. There were sounds of screaming and panic as another shock was heard. I was prepared this time, and I stood very still as I felt the vibrations beneath my feet.

Octavius, finally over his shock, shouted an order. "Return to your barracks! Armor up at meet at the front on the double!" He turned. "Centurion Marcus! Take your men and to the other side of the city. I shall follow up as soon as the men are ready. Dismissed!"

I wasted no time, and ran across the parade ground towards my barrack room. I dodged the men rushing in and out from all sides, fingers shaking as they tied their chinstraps and fastened their sword belts. I pushed open the door, sprinting to my armor stand. I pulled on the segmented chest plate, fastening it the best I could without help. I fastened my groin guard and slammed my helmet down over my head. I snatched up my sword and shield as I rushed through the door.

"Rufus!" I faltered in my running, glancing to my side at Athena, who was leaning out of the doorway of the side door I had gone through earlier.

I jogged over to her just as another booming shock shook the ground. She gave a small cry and grasped the wooden doorframe. I could hear the sounds of panic coming for inside the medical block, and for a moment i feared for Lucios.

"Rufus, what is happening?" She asked urgently.

"I do not know," I replied helplessly. "The General has ordered us to the other side of the city to investigate- is Lucios okay?"

"Yes," Athena nodded carefully. "Oh, Rufus, do be careful!"

"I will," I promised quickly.

"Athena!" Lucius roared from inside the medical block. "Get in here at once! The patients are going mad in here!"

"I am coming!" Athena yelled. She looked at me with her gentle brown eyes, vibrant with fear. "Be careful, Lucios. You and Kaius."

I gave a small nod, and wasted no time as I ran back to the parade ground. I took my spot beside Anthonius, the young man shaking in his sandals. I could only spare him a look of encouragement, and nothing more. The General took his place in front of the formation, and shouted the order for us to advance at the trot. I ran with measured steps, the men on either side of me doing the same.

The booms continued as we ran, pushing our way through the streets. Many of the townspeople had moved aside and were huddled in their homes, while a few, more curious souls stood in their doorways or followed behind us. My heart was racing as we ran on. I could smell the scent of what I thought was smoke, although it had a rancid tint to it that made me cringe. I raised my arm to cough into my elbow. The collective sound of sandaled feet slapping the marble-textured ground announced our arrival to Marcus' cohort, who were formed up in a defensive shield wall in front of a sheer height of wall at the very edge of the city.

"Halt!" Octavius' voice called out. We did so. "Form wall!"

I shuffled into position along with the other men, lifting my shield to just below my chin. Anthonius was struggling to lift his, and I noted how he had to use both hands to keep the heavy sheet of wood off the ground. He would have to hold it himself.

"Step back!" Octavius ordered, his voice becoming drowned out by another boom, which visibly shook the wall. "Step back, now!"

I could tell the General was serious by his tone, and that this unknown threat was deadly. Else he would not be acting so concerned. My fellow legionaries took a collective step back, rippling along like a banner in the wind. Another loud boom happened, making visible cracks in the wall.

"How odd," Marcus mused, taking a step forward to examine the jagged lines.

"Centurion Marcus, step back in line!" Octavius yelled.

The next boom was the loudest I had heard, and I watched for less than a second as the wall burst open, spewing debris to all sides. I raised my shield to cover my body, falling into a crouch as chunks of stone flew into the ranks. I heard the cries of pain and surprise from the men around me as they were struck. I heard Anthonius give a frightened cry, and without really thinking I grabbed his arm and dragged him and his shield towards me, to provide extra shelter for both of us. Smoke filled the air around us, forcing us to screw our eyes shut at the stinging particles. And above it all, my ears could pick up only one voice.

"Marcus!"


	11. Chapter 11

I did not know where I was for a moment, the dust settling around me. My ears rang and my head once again throbbed. I felt a body slumped beside me, huddled against me as an animal might huddle against a tangle of roots in fear. I forced my eyes open, and immediately felt the sting of the smoke and tiny bits of debris floating in the air. I heard voices screaming, crying out in pain, names being screamed in anguish or terror. I muttered a wordless prayer to the gods, feeling fear grapple with my heart.

I shifted, wincing at a sharp pain in my arm. I glanced down at it and saw a steady trickle of blood slipping down to make a puddle beside me. There was a piece of what looked like a metal fragment buried just below my skin, the wound pulsating as I tested the grip on my shield. There was nothing I could do about the wound now. I looked down at Anthonius, who was pressed against my side, his shield trembling as his body did too. I lifted my head above the shield, and caught sight of a raging flame to my right, igniting one of the wooden homes. The fire was all I could see in the chaos. The wind, which seemed to come from somewhere behind the city, as if out of the wall, pushed the flames forwards, towards our current position. I did not know what our orders were, but I knew that if we did not move, we would die in the blaze.

I stood quickly, dragging the terrified Anthonius up with me. He stuck close to my side as I quickly led him through the smoke, away from the fire. My senses were all aware, but I could not figure out where we were. I had lost all sense of direction. I coughed as another cloud of smoke billowed over us, pushed by the air flow. It choked my lungs and burned my eyes, causing them to water continuously. Anthonius coughed, his breaths coming in gasps as he fought to breathe.

Faint outlines of men ran around us, appearing and disappearing in the smoke clouds that thickened with each passing second. I pushed forwards, holding my hand over my mouth and nose as I tried to take fulfilling breaths. I had dropped my shield, and with my other hand, I dragged Anthonius along with me. I could hear him coughing, wheezing as he fought to stay on his feet, trying desperately to draw air into his lungs. The fool of a boy was not using the same strategy as I was, and with one last breath, I threw my hand over his face. He struggled for a moment, before accepting my offered help. He seemed to get the hint, and I felt his hand brush mine away and take its place. We pushed on.

I did not know in which direction we were running, stumbling and tripping over debris and what I thought were bodies. I knew that if we went too far away from the city, then we risked falling over the cliff edge that no doubt was nearby. Although the city was sure to be set ablaze, the safest place I could think of was the other side, where the medical block was. My idea was correct, for as I began to head in what I thought was inward towards the city, others followed or were in front of me.

Anthonius and I pushed forwards, eventually clearing the smoke as we reached the center of the city. We took three steps before Anthonius crumbled to the ground, dragging me down with him. I tried to drag him to his feet again, but he lay on the ground, a pained expression on his young face as he struggled to breathe. I knew he would not make it much farther on his own. I heard a crash from behind me as one of the buildings began to crumble. It leaned towards us, the burning wood creaking as it swayed. I grabbed up Anthonius, throwing him over my shoulders as I ran. The smoke was clearer now, and I could see where I was going. My lungs screamed at me to pause and take fresh breaths, but I could not stop. I heard the sound of groaning wood and glanced over my shoulder to see the building tipping towards us. The glow illuminated the ground like a torch, and I put on an extra burst of speed as I tried to escape.

The building crashed behind us in a flurry of embers, which seared my arms and legs as I ran on. The searing pain in my arm from the metal fragment burned now, and I felt my arm giving way.

"Over here!"

I saw the figures of numerous men and a few women ahead of me, just in front of the camp. I ran towards them, stumbling as I reached them. Strong hands grabbed me and pulled me out of the way as others fled past the defensive wall of men. I felt Anthonius get pulled from my grasp and passed to another man. My knees dragged against the ground as I was pulled farther back, and I struggled to my feet before I could be moved further. There was not enough time or resources for someone to be carrying me. I needed to drag my own weight.

I took a knee, catching my breath. Looking around, I saw the men were wielding buckets of water, with long chains of people passing them to and fro as they were poured onto the advancing flames. They needed help. With the adrenaline still pumping through my veins, I took a spot in the front line and chucked every bucket of water I was handed at the advancing flames. Every second, more people streamed past us. A few had been ablaze, and I splashed a bucket of water on a man who had gotten his back lit up by flames.

"Move back!" A voice shouted above the din.

I moved back away from the flames, which were coming closer to us by the moment. We began to fall back into the fort, pushing the civilians and the casualties behind us as we struggled to control the blaze.

"Close the gate!" The voice bellowed.

The wooden door began to groan as it was forced closed. I turned to look behind me at the blaze, and saw a sight that made my heart leap into my throat. Three figures struggled in front of the blaze. The man in the middle hung limply between the other two. All three wore the crests of officers, and I knew who they must be.

"Wait!" I yelled. "Look! Over there!" I yelled urgently.

"It is the general!" A voice shouted. "Open the gate, hurry!"

The men at the gate struggled and strained as they pulled open the door. The General Octavius and Kaius came stumbling inside, supporting Centurion Marcus between them.

"Close the gate!"

The gate was slammed shut, and the men lining the top of the walls began to pour water feverishly over the flames, their movements desperate as they fought to keep the blaze away from the walls. I did my part, chucking buckets down onto the wooden flames.

 _Beep beep beep!_

I gave a sharp cry and grimaced as the piercing sound blared through the city. The men around me dropped their buckets and slammed their hands over their ears. Children began to wail, and countless others screamed in terror at the unearthly sound. It hurt my ears and added to painful ringing in my head. It was like something out of a legend, the cursed shrieking of some ungodly fiend come to end our world. It felt like I would die.

"Wave!" Someone screamed from beside me.

I forced my eyes open and saw a mass of clear water, larger than any ocean I had ever seen, sweeping over the fire. It swelled like a massive fist, carrying debris and bodies with it. I dropped to my stomach and braced myself as it hit the fort. Most of the men had followed my example, but one was not so lucky. He gave a cry as he pitched forwards, over the rampart and into the water. He disappeared beneath the wave, which dragged him around the fort and out of sight. The water created a waterfall as it poured over the side of the cliff, taking the debris and bodies with it.

I slowly stood, shaking. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw a large man, much bigger than anyone, leave the room our city was in. I took a deep breath, my mind reeling from the shock. The piercing sound had stopped, and the water was beginning to thin out. Many voices roared as people desperately searched for loved ones, or cried from the sheer terror of the whole experience. I numbly walked to the edge of the rampart, climbing down the ladder one ring at a time. I dropped to the ground and looked around me. My eyes landed at the gate, which was soaked through by the water. I spotted a huddle around the three officers, and remembering that Kaius was among them I ran towards the group.

"Move, move!" I yelled, pushing past a few people. "Kaius!"

Kaius, who had been crouching on his knee, looked up at me as he panted, trying to catch his breath. His face and arms were smeared with soot, and there were visible burns on his legs. A small streak of dried blood was smeared across his cheek, hiding a shallow cut beneath it. I quickly stepped forward and grasped his arms, looking him in the eyes. They were distant, a dazed expression in them. Other than the burns and cut, he looked unharmed.

"Kaius, can you hear me?" I asked, my heart torn in fear. He nodded weakly, his head lolling forward with exhaustion. "You need help," I said gently. "Come, I will take you to see the Lucius-"

"N-No," Kaius stammered, shaking his head. "O-Others need help...the Cen-Centurion-"

It was then I registered Octavius' panicked tone nearby. I turned to see him crouched beside the limp form of Centurion Marcus, on his knees and gripping him by the shoulders as he yelled for someone to help. His voice was strained and desperate, and I could tell he was struggling with emotions.

"Move aside!" Athena called from outside the rough circle around the General and his senior officer.

The small crowd of soldiers parted as she pushed her way through, clutching her medical kit to her chest. Her tunic was smeared with blood, and her bunned up hair sprung out in all directions. She threw herself onto her knees beside Marcus' body, gently pushing Octavius' arms away. She felt for a pulse. Then, she leaned her ear down over his mouth. She gave a curt nod and muttered something under her breath, before checking around his head, then moving on to his extremities.

Octavius looked at her, anxiety present on his usually calm face. "Well?"

"From what I can tell, his only clear injuries are burns and a dislocated shoulder." She explained. "He could have experienced blunt force damage to his organs."

Octavius sucked in a sharp breath, biting his lip. "Please," He whispered desperately, his voice thick with unshed tears. "Please let him live…"

"I can not control it," Athena said gently. "But I will do everything I can to keep him alive. For right now, you need to focus on your men, on your people, okay?"

"Right…" He stammered.

Athena gave him a soft, reassuring smile. "It will be alright, General. Just focus on Rome. I will take care of the Centurion."

Octavius gave a weary nod and watched as two men helped Athena carry the Centurion away. I could sense his distress and felt a pang of sadness for him. He stared after Athena and the others, his shoulders slack in defeat.

Kaius cleared his throat. "Sir?"

"Wha…?" Octavius murmured, looking up. He then seemed to realize where he was, and quickly cleared his throat. "Wait for my orders. I want to see the extent of the damage. Open the gate."

A handful of men pulled the locking bar out of the lock and pulled back the door. Octavius stared at the desolate wasteland, his eyes widened in horror at the carnage. It reflected onto the faces of those around us, who stood in silence at the destruction.

"Oh, my gods…" Octavius whispered hoarsely. He stood for a moment longer, before he whirled around to face us, bitter determination blazing brighter than the fire in his eyes. "I want every able bodied man out there looking for survivors. Anyone who is injured by well enough to move shall help those who are hurt. Go!"

I looked at Kaius, who looked back at me. We were both injured, but there was still fight left in us. I followed Kaius out of the camp, listening as I passed the General.

"Whoever did this," He growled bitterly. "Will pay with their lives."


	12. Chapter 12

The scent of smoke still clung in the air, making it impossible for me to rest. Every time I tried to close my eyes I was awoken by the noises from outside. People talking in hushed tones or wailing from the set of hastily pitched tents which housed the civilians, and cries from the medical block. I sighed miserably, rolling myself over on the side of my unhurt arm. It throbbed uncomfortably but no longer ached. I had been able to remove the metal on my own and had waited until the general panic had settled down before I went to Athena for aid.

She had been very busy, and so had Lucius. There had been many casualties- about thirty-seven, and the medical block had overflowed. A few of the barrack blocks closest to the medical building had been cleared out to make room. She had managed to give me a quick lathering of poultice on my wound and had wrapped it up before returning to her other patients. I had wanted to check in on Lucios, but there had just been too much commotion. Athena had promised me that I could see him later when everything was settled. I had also asked her for news on Marcus, to which she had told me he would survive. I was happy to hear that.

Besides myself, the only person in the barrack with me was Anthonius. His block had been spread out and given to other rooms, with Anthonius being assigned to mine. It did not bother me. He was good company. Especially since he was mostly silent, having suffered a sore throat due to smoke inhalation. Kaius was not in the room with us. Octavius had summoned all of his surviving and capable officers to the headquarters. I guess they were discussing what was to be done with the city.

I could think of a few issues that needed addressing, ignoring the obvious fact that our city had been destroyed. The last available space in the city was the fort, which was already crammed to the brim. Within a few days' time, we would surely run out of food. We had already been placed on half rations, and there no one knew of anywhere that had a ready food supply. There was also the matter of medical supplies, which were running low. The clean up of the city was probably being discussed. There would be debris to clean away, and bodies to be cremated.

 _Great,_ I thought to myself with a sight. _More smoke in my lungs._

I rolled myself onto my back and stared up at the ceiling. I closed my eyes, picturing the burst that had started the fire. I could think of nothing natural that could have caused such a disaster. No force on Earth could possibly be strong enough to wrought such destruction. Everything had seemed to play against us, including the wind. As much as I tried, I could not even begin to decipher what could have done it. I groaned in a mixture of annoyance and frustration, slamming my head against my pillow. Thinking was useless.

I sat up at the sound of coughing from the other side of the room and turned my head to see Anthonius, who was busy hacking up a lung. I let my feet hang over the edge of my bunk, and kicked forlornly at the open air. He began to stir, coughing painfully as he rolled onto his stomach. He had taken residence on the bottom bed of the second bunk. The top one, I had concluded, was to be saved for Lucios. When he returned to active duty.

"What...what time is it?" Anthonius groaned, lifting his head so his chin rested on his pillow. "It feels like I have been asleep for seven years."

"Just enough time for you to grow some chest hair," I joked.

Anthonius glared at me but made no attempt to challenge me back. "My throat hurts," He complained.

I rolled my eyes. "Boy, you are going to hurt for a long time if you keep talking. The more you speak, the worse your throat will feel. Is that what you want?"

He shook his head, unfazed by my baitings. "No. But I am bored."

"Boredom is not all that bad." I persisted bluntly. "It gives you time to think."

"To think," Anthonius repeated an enlightened tone in his voice. He shifted himself on his bed, folding his arms behind his head, his tangled mop of hair falling over his hands. He closed his eyes for a moment, a grim look on his face. He then sighed, and opened his eyes again. "I cannot think."

"You are trying to hard," I explained. "You must calm yourself, and lay back like this-" I laid back on my bunk, putting my good arm under my head. "Once you are comfortable, you softly close your eyes, and then, when you just think."

"I still do not get it," Anthonius whined. "You think to solve a problem...I do not have a problem to solve."

I sighed and shook my head at the naive boy. "The mind is a wonderful gift, Anthonius. You do not have to have a problem in order to think. You can think with a creative touch- create something. You can think of an image, or of some deep inner thought. Do you understand that?"

Anthonius was still for a moment, a thoughtful look on his face. He opened his mouth, then shook his head. "No," He said simply.

I did not try to explain further. I was not prepared to battle stupidity at the moment. I suppose I could not blame Anthonius for his foolish mind. He was of the aristocratic breed, who spoke the language of deceit and money. He would probably never understand it.

"You know," Anthonius said, his voice croaking painfully. "I have not met a man like you before."

I frowned. "What do you mean by that?"

"You do not look down on me," Anthonius said with a smile. "I mean, you are not the kindest man, but you treat me like an equal. People have always talked to me like I was a god. I never got to do anything on my own, or even really have an opinion. I was expected to agree with what Father said. But you did not hesitate to speak to me like I was a man."

I shrugged. "It is better to learn your place young, boy."

"What do you think of me?" Anthonius asked suddenly.

"Hm?" I hummed, surprised at the question.

"You know, what do you think about me? Do you think I can be a soldier? Am I a good man?"

I thought for a moment, thinking of the best way to answer his question. I had not given him much thought, and so did not know how I should answer. I was also mildly surprised that such a pampered pup would take interest in my opinions. It might have been a cleverly devised verbal trap, but I decided to answer him.

"I believe that all men can learn to be a soldier," I said carefully. "However, it comes down to three things; endurance, perseverance, and responsibility. Being a soldier is more than just marching and earning titles for yourself, and it is more than fighting for the _Empire_."

Anthonius gasped, and I realized my mistake. "You do not like the Empire? The Rome our fathers and forefathers fought to build?"

"In truth," I answered, figuring I had nothing to lose by telling him the truth. "I do not really know anymore. There is a sense of loyalty to one's home of origin, but the loyalty we feel towards our comrades, towards our commanders, and towards our friends is much stronger at times. Take the General, for example. There are men here who would willingly follow him to the ends of the Earth, for the simple reason of fetching a stone."

"Would you?" Anthonius questioned curiously. "If you do not mind me asking."

That was a very good question, one that I was still not sure of. "I am not sure as of yet," I countered. "I have not been under his command long enough to know. But from what I have seen, I think he is a noble man, and very kind."

Anthonius whistled. "My father would never have said such a thing about a general. He says that generals are shifty and should not be trusted. He said that a lot of generals rebel against the Republic."

"Sometimes," I admitted. "And do you know why they do such things?"

"Because they are cruel, evil people who have a lust for power," Anthonius growled passionately. He then relented. "At least, that is what Father says."

I chuckled. "I mean the men. Do you know why the men follow these generals?"

"Because they trust them," Anthonius concluded. "They trust that he will protect them and give that what they need. Right?"

I nodded. "Precisely."

"But not all of these men are right to be loyal," Anthonius stated matter-of-factly. "Like those who followed under the General Sulla."

"From what I heard, he was a terrible man," I commented.

"Oh, he was." Agreed Anthonius. "Father said that he killed most of the Senate." He paused and sat himself up on his elbows. "Rufus," He asked, turning to look at me. I raised an eyebrow for him to continue, and he did. "Is it true that the General Octavius is the son of Julius Caesar?"

"It is," I said. "In a way. He is Caesar's adopted son. Or, his great nephew."

"Do you think the General will take the same path as Caesar did?" Anthonius asked curiously.

"He might," I answered.

"If he does, will you follow him?"

Deep down in my heart I knew the answer, but for now, I did not want it to be known. "Only time will tell for who I lend my loyalties," I spoke boldly and then gave a soft chuckle. "Let me guess; your father told you he would follow in Caesar's footsteps?"

Anthonius nodded and laughed. "How did you know?"

"It seems like a common pattern," I replied bluntly. Anthonius yawned, and I could not help but smiled at him. There was hope for him yet. "You should get some rest," I said gently. "You need to heal that throat of yours."

Anthonius nodded, and wriggled himself beneath his blanket and closed his eyes, like a young child preparing for a fitful night of sleep. I smiled again and stood.

Anthonius opened his eyes. "Where are you going?" He asked.

"To get you some tea for that throat," I answered. "I will not be long."

"Okay," Anthonius replied with a yawn, rolling over to face the wall.

I quietly opened the door and stepped outside, looking around before quickly making my way to the medical block. I reached the side door and tested it carefully. It was unlocked, and I slipped inside. I then froze.

"Rufus?" The General Octavius asked, looking surprised to see me out of my barracks. "What are you doing here?"


	13. Chapter 13

I could not hide the fact that I was rather surprised to see the General in the medical block, standing on the other side of the threshold, behind the side door that I thought was only used by me. I stared at him for a moment, remembering the order he had given earlier, stating that all personnel not on sentry duty were to remain in their quarters. I gulped nervously, taking a small step back as if I was preparing to run, even though I knew that fleeing would not help me.

Octavius did not look mad, but seemed surprised to see me. He was not in his armor, and wore only his basic red tunic and sandals. His hair looked rather dishevelled, his eyes dull with a haunted look. He looked like a disturbed prophet who had just received a frightening message from the gods. The thought struck me, forcing me to bite back a smirk at the comparison. It was cruel of me to think of him in such a way, and I felt rather bad for it.

"I...I thought I had given the order for all men to remain in their quarters," He began, a frown on his face.

I shuffled my feet, clasping my hands behind my back. "You did, sir. I...was not expecting to see you here."

"I was not expecting to see anyone here….What are you doing, then?" Octavius asked somewhat calmly.

I hesitated, wrestling with my will to reveal my reasons, and the fear of seeming like a soft hearted woman. I hI ad not told anyone about Lucios, not even Kaius, for fear of looking like I needed someone. It was not wrong of me, to want to see Lucios, but it was a foolish reason to disobey orders. Perhaps the General would understand- he was probably visiting Marcus. Surely he would understand why I wanted to see my friend so badly.

"Well, sir," I began slowly. "I-"

"Rufus!" Athena exclaimed with a loud whisper, stopping beside the General. He looked from her to me, his gaze confused for a moment. Athena looked at him, and smiled gently. "Fear not; he is a friend. Come in, Rufus."

I cautiously stepped through the door, passing Octavius and glancing sideways at him. He made no attempt to stop me, pushing his arm forwards to shut the wooden door. The hallway was bathed in soft torchlight, illuminating the bodies which laid on the cots. There were a few figures lying on the floor, using blankets and other soft materials as bedding. It was the fullest I had seen the medical block, but I was not surprised. I had no doubt there had been a number of casualties coming in throughout the day.

I cleared my throat. "Is...Lucios awake?" I asked, turning my gaze to look at the curtained corner of the room.

"He is," She said softly. "He was frightened by the noise and the fire, and the loud sound that came through here a short time ago. Go to him now- he could use your comfort."

I cast one last look at the General, who had remained standing by the door with Athena, before pulling back the curtains. Lucios, huddled under his blankets, gave a small, frightened gasp, as if startled at being disturbed. He hid his head beneath the covers, gripping what looked like a concealed dagger in his hand. I let the curtains fall behind me, and I gently cleared my throat.

"Relax now," I said comfortingly. "It is only I, Rufus."

Lucios peeked out from under the woolen blanket, his eyes piercing as he stared at me. He let his eyes peer behind me, before slowly pushing the covers away from his head and neck. He gave me an embarrassed grin, a sheepish look on his face.

"M-My apologies, Rufus." He apologized. "You startled me."

"I can see that," I smiled at him, and sat myself down on the wooden stool. "I came to check on you. Athena told me you had been frightened- are you well?"

Lucios shrugged weakly, wincing at the pain in his side. "I am well. Startled, yes, but not afraid."

"Sure," I chuckled incredulously. "Your expression says it all, my friend."

Lucios grinned, his eyes alight with humor. "Okay fine, I suppose I was a little frightened. You suddenly appearing did not help me much. Of course, I am thrilled to see you have kept your promise, but the way you entered gave me little time to prepare myself."

I raised an eyebrow in confusion. "Prepared? For what?"

"For your arrival." Lucios said with a smirk. "I did not have to put on my makeup."

I chuckled at the humor, happy to see him in good spirits. I had never seen this joking side of Lucios before, and it amused me. "You seem to be in high spirits," I commented, lifting my legs to rest them on the edge of the bed.

"I am feeling much better," Lucios explained. "Athena has taken good care of me. She says I might recover sooner than expected."

"Really?" I asked, excited to hear the good news. "How soon?"

"I think…" He paused, lifting a hand to his chin in thought. "I believe she said I would be well in about seven days' time. She wants me to stay here for a few more days, to make sure the wound does not become infected. After that, she wants me to stay for the rest of the week to practise the injured muscles. If all goes well, I will able to walk again very soon."

I smiled. "That is good news to hear, after all the tragedy that has happened."

Lucios' smile faded, his eyes growing dark with worry. I immediately felt sorry for mentioning the destruction. Although he was close to good health, he was still out of action, and no doubt felt guilty about being absent from the scene earlier in the day.

"What happened?" He asked, a desperate look in his eyes. "What was all the commotion?"

I sighed, folding my hands in my lap. I did not know where to begin. I could understand his wish to know what had happened outside of the fort, but I did not feel it necessary to burden him with the tidings of death and despair. On the other hand, he was a soldier of Rome, and a good one at that. He deserved to know. I looked at him, at his gentle features and concerned eyes, and I knew I could not keep him from knowing.

"There was a sort of….eruption," I began, letting myself think back to the time. "We first heard, and felt it, while the General was giving us our new orders. You will be bunking with Kaius, Anthonius, and myself, by the way." Lucios nodded, and gestured for me to continue. "We saw smoke on the other side of the city. So we went to investigate. That wall, that marks the edge of the city, the noise was coming from behind that wall. It shook us every time. And then it...it sort of burst into chunks of stone.."

Lucios frowned. "Burst?"

I nodded. "It burst. Centurion Marcus had been standing in front of it when it happened. I did not see exactly what happened to him, but I could deduce that he had been hit by the debris.

Lucios inhaled sharply, putting a hand over his mouth. "Oh the poor man...is he alright?"

"I think so. Anthonius and I took shelter behind our shields." I continued. "Many of the men around us had been hit, most unable to walk or move out of harm's way. A fire had started. Anthonius and I managed to find our way to the fort through the smoke. When we reached the fort, most of the city was ablaze."

"What were those awful shrieking sounds?" Lucios asked cringing. "They were very painful to hear."

I shrugged. "I do not know. They could have been anything. But I think they had come from above the city."

"How unusual…" Lucios muttered. "Athena mentioned something about a flood of sorts. Is that true?"

"Of sorts," I acknowledged carefully. I leaned myself close to him, lowering my voice. "You are the only person I have told this to...I saw a giant."

Lucios did not look convinced, and there was an irritated glint in his eyes. "Is this an attempt at humor, Rufus? Because now is not the time for such humor."

"No, no!" I said desperately. "I really did see one. It was a man- a giant man. He dumped water on the city, and caused the flood." Lucios shook his head in disbelief. I growled, angry that he would not believe me. "It is true! Where would water come from here? What natural source have you seen near the city that could supply us with water? I am telling you- it was the giant who caused the flood. It destroyed what was left of the city."

"Did anyone else see this giant?" Questioned Lucios. "Rufus, I believe you, but...perhaps you imagined it, out of fear."

"No," I said sternly. "I know what I saw. Others must have seen it too. The General probably did not, since he was busy with the Centurion, but-"

"Have you told the General?"

"Pardon?" I asked, sitting up with a start. "Have I told the General?...No, I have not. How can I? He has enough to occupy him."

"Rufus," Lucios said quietly, gazing into my eyes. "Please, you must calm yourself...I can sense your stress. It is unsettling to me."

"Well you did not have to see what I saw." I snorted with derision.

"And I am glad," Lucios muttered, looking away from me and at his lap. "My deepest regret is that I could not help."

I sighed, rubbing my worn face with my hands. It was all too much for me. I had not suffered directly from the incident, from the flood or from the fire besides a few minor wounds, but it felt like a crushing blow to my heart. I had witnessed death. Again, I wondered why it startled me so. I was a soldier; death was my life. Concerning me more was the grimness of the future. We would have no food, no water- nothing.

I thought about what Kaius would say to me if he knew what I was thinking. He would say "Do not trouble yourself- leave the pressing matters to the officers." But I could not help but worry. I had also upset Lucios, which left me with an ill feeling in my heart. That I would once again be so selfish as to burden him when he was injured hurt me, in a way. I comforted myself with the fact that Lucios probably did not mind, since I was his friend and friends are supposed to share the burdens of life. It was only natural that I would seek his comfort. He would expect the same of me, and I would provide him with a ready ear.

I still felt like I needed to apologise. "Forgive me," I pleaded softly. "I meant not to hurt you with my words. I just do not feel well at the moment."

Lucios, controlling his regretful feelings, gave me a small nod of understanding. "It is alright, Rufus. I am glad that you came to me tonight." He paused hesitating for a moment. "I...I was worried about you, when everything happened. I asked Athena if she knew where you were and...she told me you had gone to investigate. I feared that perhaps you were…"

I was surprised, and deeply touched, by Lucios' sentiment, and I gave him a small, comforting smile. "Thanks you for your concern, but fear not- I can hold my own well enough."

Lucios returned the smile. "I can see that."

We were both silent, keeping to ourselves for a time. I wanted to speak further, but I could see Lucios was done talking for the time being. I also knew that he did not wish for me to leave just yet, and I, too, was not ready to part from his company. So we were silent, listening to the conversation being held on the other side of the curtains.

"You are quite sure he will be alright?" Octavius' voice asked worriedly. "He just looks so...so pale."

"I am sure he will be fine, General." Athena answered quietly. "The blast only rattled him. Besides his shoulder, I do not think he has been too badly harmed."

"Lucius mentioned something about internal stress," Octavius pointed out. "What did he mean by that?"

"He was talking about internal injuries to the organs," Athea explained. "I do not think he has suffered any."

Octavius took a sharp breath, then let it out slowly. "And, you are sure of this?" 

"I am sure." Athena replied, her voice gentle. "I will have him returned to you by tomorrow. I would advise, however, that you let him ret his shoulder, and keep him from doing anything too straining." 

A sigh came from Octavius. "I wish it was that easy," He mumbled defeatedly. "Marcus has never been one for sitting still. As excitable as he is, he finds it very hard to keep himself out of the way. I know the men see him as weak and unqualified, but there is a sense of leadership in him. He just….he needs to conquer his fears. That is part of the reason I had him join me in the legions."

"I know he is more than just a frightened centurion," Athena whispered. Their voices were closer now, and I knew that they were beside Marcus' cot, which was nearby. "He is also very important to you."

"He is very important," Octavius said. "He is a very good friend, and believe it or not he his capable of doing great things. He just needs the proper help. One of these days, I fear I will not be here….or at least, I will no longer be well enough to lead. I want Marcus to take over for me when the time comes."

"You are worried that he will not be good enough?" Athena asked.

"I am not so much worried that he will fail me, but I am concerned on how he will be received. The Senate will not be pleased with him. I can hold my own against their political attacks, but Marcus, well….I fear he may be prone to their rage." Octavius explained. He then lowered his tone, and I had to strain my ears to hear him. "I fear Petronius, out of all of them."

"Why?" Athena questioned, lowering her voice as well.

"Petronius is a wicked man," Octavius began, a bitter tone in his voice. "He has always wanted power. I know he was against Caesar. He does not hide that fact. But he was not working with Cassius and Brutus, so I had no way of eliminating him. He wants power for himself. He says he wants to preserve the Republic, but behind that mask of an old, feeble man, is a mind full of ambition and evil. He will not stop, I fear, until all remnants of Caesar are gone- which means riding Rome of me."

Athena took a breath. "I see. Do you think he would...hurt you?"

"I know he would, if he got the chance." Octavius growled passionately. "Or he would hurt Marcus. Marcus...discovered Petronius' true spirit not long ago, back before...we woke up here. He insisted on keeping an eye on him- he wants to protect me. But I fear that, if he is not careful, Petronius will discover his motives and hurt him. I would never forgive myself if I lost Marcus in such a way…."

"Perhaps, for now, General, you convince him to stay near you." Athena suggested. "He will listen, will he not?"

"He will not," Octavius answered with a sigh. "And now, I must find a way to feed and water the people. The city is in ruins, and soon we will be out of supplies. I must also confront our attackers. I fear they might be those men I told you about last time I was here."

"The men with the hats?" Athena asked curiously.

"Yes. I fear they are behind the attack." There was a pause, before Octavius continued speaking in an enraged tone. "I will not rest until they have paid for the pain they have caused."

"I understand your anger," Athena whispered softly. "But, General, you must keep a clear head. It might have been an accident-" 

"Ha!" Octavius gave an unconvinced, mocking laugh. "One does not destroy an entire city by accident. I know not what you think in that womanish head of yours, but you are very wrong on that point." Athena took a short, quick breath, sounding like a wince, before Octavius sighed miserably. "Please forgive my insolence. I know you are a very smart woman, and you are a good medic. Please, forget what I have said. I am maddened by worry, and ill with guilt."

"I understand," Athena said softly. "It is almost the freezing time again. You should be returning to your quarters."

Octavius cleared his throat, and spoke in a professional voice. "Yes, indeed it will be. Goodnight, Medic Athena."

"Goodnight," Athena answered quietly.

There was there was the sound of a door shutting, and then a deep, wearied sigh. I turned to Lucios, who had sleep in his eyes and a face that shown with a longing for rest. I stood abruptly, causing him to jump.

"It is time I return to my barrack," I announced. I reached forwards and clasped arms with Lucios, who smiled at me.

"Safe night," He whispered. "You will come again tomorrow?"

"Of course," I replied, mirroring the smile. "That is, if the General does not have use for me."

Lucios laughed, and after a final wave goodbye, I slipped out from behind the curtains. Athena was standing in the doorway, watching the back of Octavius as he left. I looked from her to him, and then back to her.

"You are very kind to him," I noted, leaning against the wall by the door.

Athena smiled slightly to herself, before sighing and turning to me. "It is my duty to heal both physical wounds, and wounded hearts. Now; I would assume you have finished your visit with Lucios?"

I nodded. "I was just leaving."

"I see. Well, goodnight, Legionary Rufus."

"Goodnight...wait!" I froze, halfway out the door. "May I have something for Anthonius' pained throat? He has been trying to rest, and the pain is keeping him awake."

Athena nodded, and handed me a small pouch filled with shredded herbs. "Put this is some warm water, and add a small splash of wine. It will dull the pain, and induce sleep in him."

I smiled. "Thank you. Goodnight, Athena."

"Goodnight,"

I closed the door behind me, and left to my barrack room.


	14. Chapter 14

The sound of heavy, trudging footsteps was the first thing I heard as warmth returned to my body. I took a breath, unable to hold back a yawn as my sleepy feelings carried over into the waking world. I rolled onto my side, the covers entangling me like a warm embrace. I was not yet ready to wake up. There was a thump by the door, and then the bunk shook slightly as someone, I guessed it was Kaius, climbed up into the bunk above me. He had not returned before the freezing time, and I had been forced to fall asleep without him. I would have remained awake, or gone to look for him, but I did not pleasure the uncomfortable feeling of freezing while in a waking state.

I yawned again and blinked open my eyes. My gaze focused on the set of bunks across from me, where Anthonius lay on the bottom, soundly sleeping. I smiled at the comical position he had struggled into. He had one leg hanging over the bed and the bent at the knee. His head was half buried in his pillow, and both of his arms were splayed out either side of him. To top it all off; he had completely managed to rotate his body so that his head rested where his feet should have been.

Mustering my strength, I rose into a sitting position, letting the covers fall off of me. I stood, stretching my back and arms. I had been too tired to take off my tunic, and it was now ruffled and creased in certain places. I would need to fix that. I paced over to my clothes chest, and pulled out a freshly folded tunic. Slipping out of the old one, I shivered at the cold against my bare skin. It was unusually cold in the room, and I wondered what could have caused the decrease in temperature. I pulled on the new red tunic, and ran my fingers through my hair. Smiling, I climbed up the first two wooden footholds, craning my neck to see if Kaius was alright.

"Kaius?" I whispered. Anthonius gave a small mumble and changed his position to a more human shape. I lowered my voice even more, lightly tapping Kaius' shoulder.

"No…" Kaius murmured, rolling away from me so his body rested against the wall.

I frowned, concerned for him. Since Octavius had been at the medical block before the freezing, it was obvious that there had been no meeting. At least, there had been no current meeting. It had probably ended earlier than expected. Meaning that Kaius should have been in the barracks before I returned. I found myself feeling rather suspicious about him. I remembered him telling me about his summons to the Senate by the Senator Petronius, and the words spoken by Octavius had made me think about how dangerous he could be. I was sure Kaius had nothing to do with the man. We told each other everything. That had been the way since we were both young children, living with our uncle as our only family.

The again, I had not told Kaius much since we had awoken in this strange place. I had not told him about the giant, nor had I told him about the conversation I had overheard between Octavius and Marcus. I had not even told him about my new found friendship with Lucius. In my defense, I had not seen much of Kaius in the three short days we had been alive. But I could not help but wonder how much he was not telling me.

I wanted to push him for an answer, but I decided, for now, to let him sleep. He was obviously exhausted, and I let my brotherly instincts of love take over my will to hear the truth. _It is probably nothing,_ I consoled myself. _He would tell me if he was in trouble._ I climbed down and crossed the room to Anthonius' bunk. I shook him by the shoulders and stepped back as he shot into a sitting position, his hand going to his side as if to draw his sword.

"Well then, surprised, are we?" I laughed, crossing my arms.

"Never wake me up like that!" Anthonius snapped grumpily.

I raised my hands in defense, taking a step back as I whistled. "Yes, your grumpiness."

Anthonius growled and rubbed his face with his hands. His black hair covered his fingers and eyes, ruffling slightly as he spoke. "I do not wake easily….I suppose I should have warned you."

"That would have been appreciated." I nodded towards the door. "It is time to wake up, whether you would like to or not."

A groan came from Anthonius, and he flopped back down on his bed. I sighed, and giving a shake of my head, I grasped him by his wrists and roughly forced him up. He yelped in surprise when I dragged him to his feet, giving him a shove towards the pile of clothing at the foot of his bunk.

"Arms up," I said plainly.

"What?" Anthonius asked in shock. "Why…?"

I did not wait for him, and I wrenched his arms up over his head. I bent down and grasped the hem of his tunic and, much to his horror, ripped it up and over his head and shoulders. He had not been wearing a loincloth, and with an embarrassed screech he cupped his hands in front of his junk. He stared at me in an aghast way, his cheeks flaring a bright strawberry red. I ignored his wounded honor, and took up one of the clean tunics.

"Arms up," I ordered for the second time. Anthonius looked at me, a horrific gleam in his eyes. He shook his head rapidly, standing with his back arched, hunched over himself. "Put your arms up, or you can stand here in the cold."

He hesitated a moment, before giving a bleak sigh and raising his arms. I tossed him a fresh loincloth, which he caught and hastily put on. I then lifted the tunic over his head and torso, pulling it down to just above his knees. I stepped back to admire my handiwork, a cruel humored grin on my lips.

Anthonius stared at me, his cheeks still bright with embarrassment. "Wh-Why did you do that to me!?" He yowled like a punished child.

"Hush," I hissed, jabbing my thumb over my shoulder to show the sleeping form of Kaius. "Next time, you will follow orders and get out of bed when I say."

Anthonius, abashed, forced a nod and bent down to put on his sandals without another word. I did the same, sitting on my own bunk as I fastened the straps. I happened to notice a few of the hobnails on the bottoms had come loose, and made a mental note to bring the pair to Titus for repair. I then pulled on my armor, Anthonius helping me connect the straps on my back, myself doing the same for him. I then put on my helmet, tying the chinstraps into a tight knot. I smiled.

"Right, then. Now, we go to the parade ground." I said aloud.

"Why?" Anthonius asked, a pout creasing his fine features. "I want to sleep in."

"You can not sleep in," I chided softly. "Not when your cohort is on wall duty."

"Ughhh…." He groaned. "Standing on the _wall_? Of all the things we could do-"

"It is an important position," I explained, opening the door for us to walk through. I closed it behind me, and together we headed towards the center of the camp. "It helps to know when the enemy is coming. But I will admit; there are many men who would much rather be sleeping."

"I guess," Anthonius agreed halfheartedly. "It should not be hard since the city is practically gone. By the way," I turned to look at him, and he stopped walking, prompting me to do the same. "I...never thanked you for saving me yesterday. That was very selfless of you."

I smirked and brushed off the sentiment. "It was nothing, really. Besides; you were practically stuck to me. If I had tried to pry you off, both of us would have burned to death."

Anthonius shivered at the idea and looked away from me. "Sorry. I was afraid."

I sighed and patted his shoulder gently. "We were all afraid."

We continued our trek to the parade ground, where we would be given our specific positions on the wall. I understood why Anthonius was disappointed. I, like most soldiers, loathed the wall. Although it was our first line of defence from enemy attack, it was the most boring posting a soldier could be given. Standing in one spot or pacing for six hours, straining to detect any movement or enemy armies on the horizon. It would be a worse experience, since we would be staring out at the ruins of our city, and the parties of men who would be clearing away the dead to prepare for cremation. At least I would have time to think in peace, if I was lucky.

We walked onto the parade ground, taking our places within our cohort. Our Optio, Trebonius, stood in front of us, his hands clasped behind his back. He had a grim look on his face, and I wondered what was going on in his head. I did not recognize him and figured that he had taken the position of Optio after my death. He had scars along his arms and a jagged line of white tissue along his left cheek. I had no doubt he was a veteran. That was often a good sign. Experience was a rare commodity, especially in times of war, when so many good men were lost in battle.

"Alright men," Optio Trebonius barked, his voice deep and commanding, fitting his physical features perfectly. "Change of plans. Instead of standing on the wall, we will march outside of the camp, out of the city, and over the edge of the cliff." There were surprised murmurs, and Trebonius growled angrily. "Who is that? Who in Hades is talking?" No one answered, and we immediately fell silent. "The General wants us to scout outside the large room for food and supplies. As you know, everything was destroyed in the fire- including the grain we had stored. If we are going to survive, then we will need food. We will also need medical supplies and a source of water. To get these, we must actively seek them out. Does everyone understand our mission?"

"Yes, sir!" We chorused.

"Good." Trebonius gestured to the entrance gate as he spoke. "We will only explore the room beyond the hall, and no farther. If we find any of what we are looking for, then we are to mark it, carry as much as we can back to the fort, and return for more tomorrow with a larger body of men. Is that clear?"

"Yes, sir!"

"Alos," He continued, now standing in front of the gate. "We do not know what lays beyond that threshold. It may be our salvation- or our death. So, do us all a favor and do not, I repeat, do _not_ attract attention to yourself. If we can make friends, we shall be saved. If we make enemies, we will be doomed. Understood?"

"Yes, sir!"

"Good!" Trebonius turned and nodded at the two men standing on either side of the gate, who strained to open the heavy wooden doors. "On my word- forward march!"

We marched out of the camp, picking our way over and around the fallen buildings and what was left of the bodies. We reached the edge of the cliff, and were split into squads of eight, each squad having a long length of rope. There were metal spikes driven into the ground near the edge, which had been set up the day before. Anthonius was in my squad, along with six other men whom I did not know. After securing the length of rope, each man slid or climbed down in turn, relying on brute strength to keep themselves from falling. The other squads did the same, and only a handful of men remained on the edge, myself and Anthonius included.

I looked at Anthonius, then gestured to the rope. "After you." Anthonius, looking a little pale, gulped and stepped back, away from the edge. I could see he was frightened, and I smiled reassuringly. "You will be alright," I insisted. "Look; I will hold the rope, see? I will not let you fall."

My words seemed to have lifted some of his fear, and he slowly shuffled back to the edge. He went down on his knees and, gripping the rope, he let himself slide over the edge. Holding the rope tightly in my hands, I felt it lurch and then heard a strangled cry from Anthonius, then the rope going slack.

"Anthonius!" I yelled, rushing to the edge of the cliff while I still held the rope. I felt it strain a second later, and to my relief I saw him swinging as he hugged the rope, his eyes looking up at me with intense fear. I breathed a sigh of relief and forced myself to speak in a calm, instructive tone. "Do not stop now, Anthonius. Keep moving- you are very near the bottom."

"I-I am?" He said up to me.

I nodded. "If you move at a steady pace, it will only be a moment before you are close enough to the bottom to jump down."

"O-Okay…" He stammered uncertainly.

I watched him shimmy down the rest of the rope, and then let go when he was about an inch from the ground. It had taken him about two minutes, but all that mattered was that he had made it down safely. I noticed that I was the last man still on the edge, another man already over the side as he climbed down. I took hold of the rope and walked myself slowly backwards over the edge. Since I had already climbed this wall before, I was not as frightened as I had been, and before I knew it I had already reached the bottom. The men formed back into marching order, and Trebonius nodded his approval, before giving us the order to move out.

We walked in silence for a short time, until we reached the center of the room, halfway to the hallway. We were passing the large wooden bench, and I nudged Anthonius as we marched past it.

"That is where we were attacked on the first day," I told him. "The men who attacked us had been standing right over there…" Anthonius looked in the direction I was pointing. "And we had been standing right here."

"Wow…," Anthonius said with admiration. "They struck Lucios from that far away? That is impressive! What weapons had they been using?" I must have made my disguise visible, for Anthonius immediately looked away from me. "Sorry. I meant only that is was an impressive range."

"It is fine," I said stiffly. "I do not know what weapon was used, but it was not a traditional one."

We marched for another few miles, or what felt like miles, before we halted on the threshold. Trebonius stepped over first, and froze, a gasp escaping from his lips.

"Sir…?" A voice asked from the lines of soldiers.

"By the gods…" Trebonius muttered, his voice trembling. "It is a population of...giants."

The mention of giants sparked my curiosity, and I felt the ground shake as one of them, a broad-shouldered man with animal furs, ran past my field of vision. I felt my blood run cold, and I I gulped. I had been right.


	15. Chapter 15

_By the gods,_ I thought to myself, stepping back out of line as the giant passed us by. _I was right._ I knew that I had not been imagining the giant, and despite my terror, I wished Lucios was here to see what I was seeing. The men around me shrank back, Optio Trebonius scampering back into the room.

"Against the wall!" He ordered, jabbing his finger to the side.

None of us needed convincing, and we folded ourselves against the wall. I stood panting, my heart beating frantically as I heard more giants pass us by. Beside me, Anthonius was shaking, taking care to hold his shield between himself and the exit. Like that would help him much if one of the giants decided to harm us. Trebonius slowly peered around the corner and looked back at us with something like terror. Controlled terror.

"Alright boys," He said evenly. "Those are the things facing us. They might be aggressive, and no doubt can wipe us out with one footfall." The image of being crushed under giant feet did not comfort us, and I felt a shiver run down my spine as I imagined the pain of dying in such a way. "Yet size might be their disadvantage. If we move swiftly, we may avoid their attentions."

"We should go back," One of the men muttered in dismay. "This is no place for a Roman."

Trebonius world around to face the man, his nostrils flaring. "Shut the hell up!" He roared. "I did not give you permission to speak! I will put any man that speaks on a charge. Follow me and keep silent. Stay against the wall. You, what was your name?"

"Ralios Livonius Quintus, sir." The legionary replied.

"Guess what, Quintus? You get to walk behind me." Trebonius said shrewdly. "And keep a lookout on those giants. And then, when we return, if you survive, you can scrub the latrines for a month."

Anthonius and I exchanged a glance, surprised at the rough scolding. The soldier, Quintus, nodded curtly and shoving his fear away he stepped to the front of the line, his comrades silent, fearful of sharing his fate. After he took his place, Trebonius gave us the order to march. We stuck close to the wall, walking in pairs, our shields facing outwards. Naturally, I was marching beside Anthonius, who stuck rather close to me. I was fine with it. I knew he was afraid, and the childish nature of youth had not left him yet. I myself was just as frightened, and every time a giant came into view, I would press myself closer to the wall.

The giants did not seem to notice us as they passed, or they just did not care. Either way, they were just as intimidating, and every new figure seemed to be just as frightening as the first. Some wore animal skin clothes, while others wore what appeared to be fancy dresses. Some had a hard look about them as if they were walking statues. I wondered what sort of magic could make a marble man walk or a statue of gold move.

There was an abundance of different peoples, who no doubt had their own cultures and interests. There were men and women alike, and a few smaller giants I figured were children. They spoke with booming voices, in tones and dialects I could not understand. I detected a few words and phrases, that were similar to what I spoke. But the rest sounded like unintelligible muttering. I turned to Anthonius, whispering quietly as to not be overheard by Trebonius.

"What do you make of this?" I asked, curious to see what he thought of these giants. "I have no doubt you saw nothing like this back in Rome."

Anthonius shook his head, gazing ahead of us in wonder. His fear was slowly subsiding, and a curious spark had ignited in his eyes, reminding me once again of a child. He gave a helpless shrug, looking beside him as a giant man on an even larger horse casually rode past us. "I...I have no idea…" He murmured. "This is all so...what is this place…?"

I was asking myself the same question and shook my head in reply. There was no way this was a province, and this was not the afterlife. This, I realized suddenly was the inside of what must be a very large building. I decided not to ask questions about how that was possible. I could dwell on that later. Right now, I needed to keep my wits about me and gather more information.

"Halt!" Trebonius' voice rang out.

The line ground to a stop, the men pressing themselves against the wall as more giants roamed to and fro. I leaned away from the wall, peering ahead of the column at what had stopped us. My jaw dropped.

In front of us, not more than about five miles away, rose a giant sculpture of what looked like a face, with rugged features and cracked lips. Which were moving. The face cracked into what looked like a smile and blurted out random words in a rather stupid order to the giants that passed nearby. It seemed to be asking for something called "gum". I did not know what "gum" was, and I knew none of us had any to give.

"What is 'gum'?" Anthonius questioned, a frown on his face. "What _is_ that thing?"

"That is the bigger question," I answered. "It looks like a statue of a face."

"But why is it _talking_?" He persisted. "It has no tongue."

I peered between the stone lips and found that there indeed was no tongue. "I know not."

Trebonius gave a chuckle from the front of the line and put his hands on his hips. "Well boys, the man wants 'gum'. We do not have this 'gum', and therefore we will keep going."

As much as I wanted to return to the safety of the barracks, a sense of wonder had filled me, and I found myself wanting to no more. We continued forward, sticking to the wall as we neared the stone head. It did not seem to notice us, and we circled around it, squeezing between a small canyon between it and the wall. Its voice was loud, and sent vibrations and echoed through the small space. But we made it through and emerged on the other side unscathed.

From there, we marched another few miles, admiring the sights and sounds. I was beginning to feel safe, despite the constant threat of being crushed. We saw a few pairs of giants fighting it out and occasionally came across groups of giants chatting or battling in an all out war. Trebonius raised his hand, stopping the line of march.

"Silence, there!" He ordered. "There is something nearby…"

I froze, straining my ears. Besides the voices of the giants, there was something else that sounded different. It sounded animal, and I turned around to a very large, and very hairy monkey. It chittered and grinned at us, exposing its teeth in what I realized was not in an aggressive manner, but a curious one. The men gave a mixture of cries and gasps, shuffling backward in surprise. The monkey reached out and gently grasped one of the men, who gave a shrill cry of fear.

"Lucan!" A voice screamed from the packed ranks.

"Pull back! Pull back, men!" Trebonius yelled urgently.

We shrunk back as the monkey sat itself down, still holding the soldier. It was careful in its movements and did not seem like it wanted to harm the man. It poked at his midriff with its finger, tempting another cry of terror. We could not help him; he was out of our reach. The monkey raised him to its nose, giving him a sniff. It then stuck its tongue out and licked him, causing his to sputter with a disgusted sound.

"Ewww…" Anthonius shuddered, turning to look away. I nodded in agreement.

Trebonius slowly stepped forwards between the ranks of men, until he was directly in front of the monkey. It chittered softly, and laid itself on its stomach, still clasping Lucan between its fingers. He cleared his throat.

"Give me my soldier back, if you would?" Trebonius asked gently. He pointed to the monkey's hand to make himself clear.

The monkey chittered in a confused manner before it seemed to understand the gist of the request. He opened his hand and allowing Lucan to climb free. He stumbled and fell to the ground, scooting himself towards un using his hands and feet. He was helped to a standing position by his comrades, who shoved him towards the wall and stood around him protectively. Trebonius smiled.

"Thank you kindly. Now, if you would be so kind as to leave us be so we can continue on our way-"

I gasped as Trebonius was cut off, the monkey grabbing him as he gave a startled shout. The animal turned on its heels and using its legs, skittered away from us. A collective groan of despair and panic coursed through the column as we realized our commander had just been taken. We ran to the nearest shadowed corner as a collective group, our faces flushed and eyes with fear.

"It took the Optio!" Anthony cried, a tremble in his voice. He turned to me, his desperate and afraid. "Rufus what do we do!?"

"Stay calm," I said gently, grasping him by the shoulder. I turned to look back at the other men, who all spoke at once in terror. I cleared my throat, and opened my mouth, giving a loud shout as my voice drowned out the din. Kaius had always been jealous of my ability to raise my voice, and I thanked the gods that I had been blessed with that gift. I looked at my comrades, their frightened gazes falling on me. I took a deep breath and pointed my hand at the direction the monkey had gone in. "We must find the Optio," I said. It was all I could say.

"No," A voice said. "It is not worth it! We must return to the fort!"

There was a chorus of agreements, and I felt my blood boil at such an open show of cowardice. "No!" I yelled out, straining my voice. "What is wrong with you all? We are men of Rome- the most elite fighting men in the world. Does that mean nothing? Do our bonds of camaraderie mean nothing to anyone here? That man is our Optio. And he needs our help. Are we going to just stand here and let that vile creature take him?" I paused, but no voices rose in objection. "We came here on a mission. A mission to find supplies. Look at it this way; that animal needs food and water to survive. It must live somewhere with those things. If we can track it down, we will not only find the Optio, but we will find the resources we so desperately need. Is that not achievable?" No one replied. "We are going to get out there, find supplies, and save our Optio."

"But how?" Anthonius asked, frowning. "We do not even know where to begin looking."

"Perhaps I can be of assistance?"

I turned at the sound of a booming voice and felt my blood run cold as I observed the giant crouching in front of us. The men yelped, and raised their shields, drawing their swords defensively. The giant man smiled gently at us, a kind glint in his eyes, which were shielded by two glinting glass sheets. His face was decorated with a neatly trimmed mustache, and he wore a uniform of sorts.

"Wh-Who are you?" I asked, fighting to keep the tremble from my voice.

The man beamed, and as if out of habit he extended his hand out to us. "Theodore Roosevelt, 26th President of the United States. And you?"

I hesitated, then stepped forwards and clasped one of his fingers with my hand, which was tiny in comparison to his. "I am Aelius Oranius Rufus, Legionary of the Fifth Cohort of the Second Augustan Legion, under the command of the General Octavius."

The man looked at me with a curious gaze. "A Roman soldier, then?" I nodded. He gave an impressed whistle and looked at the rest of the men. "And the rest of you?"

"Soldiers, sir," I answered carefully. "You mentioned you could help us…."

"I will do what I can," The Teddy man said modestly. "What can I do for you, little friends?"

I felt slightly insulted at the "little friends" comment, but my feelings were not important at the moment. "Our Optio, Trebonius, has been taken by a giant monkey!"

Teddy frowned, scratching his chin. "A monkey?"

I nodded. "He had golden brown fur, with black fur around his face and on his head."

Teddy's eyes lit up, and he smiled. "Ah! I know the beast. We call him Dexter."

"Dexter?" I asked, cocking an eyebrow. "Is he a pet of yours?"

"No," Teddy answered simply. "But I can take you to him, and hopefully find your Optio."

"Please," I pleaded.

Teddy lowered his hand, and I was the first to step on, setting an example for the other men. Anthonius did not hesitate and followed me into the giant's palm. I turned to the other men and smiled. The looked at me, before slowly, one by one, they climbed into his hand. There were too many of us to ride comfortably in his palm, so he gently set us in his pockets. When we were all secure, he paced to the other side of the hall and swung himself into his saddle.

"Hang on, little friends." He warned.

I nodded, and gripped the edge of his pocket, ready to face the monkey beast.


	16. Chapter 16

Many times in my life I had relied on a horse to carry me where I needed to go. But all of them had been smaller- my size. Riding a giant horse was something a bit more than just the normal thrill of riding. It was terrifying.

My stomach churned in my gut, my hands aching from grasping the edge of the giant's pocket with all my strength. My breaths were short and quick, my blood freezing with fear. There were about ten other men crammed into the pocket along with me, Anthonius to my right, his face pale and sickly looking.

We were riding through a part of the building I had never seen before. There were types of giants around us, leaping aside as the giant horse plowed through them. The giant, who called himself Teddy, expertly controlled his mount, weaving it through the crowd. As the wide hallways began to dense, he slowed the horse's pace to a steady trot.

I had many unanswered questions, and I took my chance to climb out of his pocket. I gripped the fabric in my hands, dragging myself up to his shoulder. He noticed me as I pulled myself up, and he lifted his hand, giving me a small, gently boost. I nodded my thanks, and steadied myself.

"I have no doubt you have questions," Teddy said, careful not to move his head and knock me off his shoulder.

"I do. Many questioned." I answered plainly.

"I might be able to answer some, lad," He replied. "How can I be of assistance?"

I paused, collecting my thoughts. "What is this place?"

"I'm glad you asked!" Teddy chucked. "We're in a museum. The Museum of Natural History, to be exact."

"Oh…" I stammered, frowning. "What is a...museum?"

"A building where historical artifacts are stored, and knowledge of the past is shared among the people of the world." He answered. There was an excited tone in his voice, and I imagined his eyes were glowing as he spoke. "Why we are in the museum, well, that is a question none of us know the answer to. Why we are alive? By a miracle and, perhaps, a pinch of magic."

"Magic?" I asked, raising an eyebrow. "What kind of magic?"

"Egyptian magic." Teddy explained. "There is an artifact here, I have discovered, that is the source of our life. Without it, we would not be speaking."

"Whoa…" I murmured. So we were alive because of magic. That gave me more questions than answers. _Are we even real?_ I thought to myself. _Does this mean we are not human?_

As if reading my mind, Teddy spoke, shifting the reins to the side, his horse moving to walk around a group of women wrapped in colorful head clothes. "I do not how it works, but I am on the brink of discovering it. I know we freeze during the day, and that we become wax. That is all about all I have discovered. There is also that strange, cold feeling in between freezing-"

"You felt that too?" I interrupted, surprised.

He nodded. "It is not a comfortable feeling, but I have concluded it does us no harm."

"Whoa…." I muttered for a second time. "I felt it when I first woke up, a few days ago-"

"Nights."

"What?" I asked, my brows knitted in confusion.

"We live at night," Teddy repeated. "You did not know that?"

Although I knew he could not see me, I shook my. "No…"

Teddy abruptly turned his mount to face beside us, urging towards a large sheet of glass, which I discerned was a window. He reined in front of it, giving me a moment to look. I stood where I was on his shoulder, my mouth wide in astonishment. There it was. The outside world. The real world. The world I had left behind so many years ago. I trembled, feeling a tug at my heart as I saw the sky, full of stars, for the first time in three thousand years. The moon was full, and as bright as I remembered it. Puffy, dark gray clouds floated lazily over it, stifling the glow.

I lowered my gaze to the ground, making out the thin, green blades of grass in the night. There were a few bushes, some trees. I spotted a bat flying past the window, and then a small rodent with a bristling tail scurry up the side of one of the trees. There was a light above the window, which attracted giant moths and other insects. There were also things I did not recognize.

Tall buildings harboring illuminated squares and rectangles, speeding chariots of metal, with beams piercing the darkness as they sped past. There was a giant on a mechanized horse, a black helmet with a red rectangle on the back guarding his head. Other giants milled about down small paths of concrete, together in pairs or on their own.

I felt drawn to the outside. I wanted to feel the wind. I wanted to feel the grass beneath my feet again, feel the night air against my skin. Breathe real air, not the stuffy, still air of the museum. I slowly climbed down from Teddy's shoulder, and without thinking I reached out in an attempt to touch the window. Before I could, Teddy cupped his hand beneath me, drawing me up and back into his pocket.

"You must not got outside, lad," He said gently. "It is too dangerous."

"Why…?" I asked, my eyes still gazing out the giant window.

"If we are outside when the Sun rises," He began ominously, his voice soft. "We will turn to dust."

My head snapped up to look at him. "Dust?"

He nodded, solemnly. "A few of us went out the second night. The Sun rose. We froze. When we came out the next night, there was nothing but dust on the ground. They were dead."

I was silent. I did not know how to answer to that. What a strange thing, to die of sunlight. _Turning to dust?_ That was not something that happened. It was not natural. I felt an elbow gently jab my side, and I turned to make eye contact with Anthonius. He looked at me for a moment, his face a mix of confusion and uncertainty.

"Will...we turn to dust?" He asked, a tremble in his voice.

The men in the pocket with us looked at me, their faces reflecting Anthonius'. "No," I answered sternly. "We are not outside. We will not go outside. As long are we are inside, we will be safe. Is that right?" I asked, looking up at Teddy.

He nodded. "You are right. Now then, we have your Optio to find." He turned his horse back to the center of the hallway, and we trotted along, towards another hall.

The room we approached had a wild look to it, and reminded me of a jungle. Trees crossed the walls, vines hanging from their branches. I spotted a giant serpent slither sluggishly through the ranches of the nearest tree, tracking what looked like a large mouse. There were many other giant animals in the room, too. The ear-splitting roar of a lion drew my attention towards the center of the room, where a small pride of lions relaxed on a podium, in the fashion of a rock. There were stripped horses, and large horned creatures. I watched as two of them slammed their heads against each other, as if in some sort of duel. Teddy smiled.

"Welcome to the Hall of African Mammals," He said, a tinge of excitement in his voice.

"This is amazing…" One of the men breathed from nearby.

"Is that a...zebra?" Another asked aloud.

"I thought they were only found in legends," Another marvelled. "And yet, here they are…"

Anthonius was watching the beasts as they roamed, huddling himself lower in Teddy's pocket. "A-Are they dangerous?" He fretted aloud.

"Only if you bother them," Teddy assured. "I've been in here a few times already. They will not harm us."

Anthonius did not look very certain, and I gave him a reassuring smile and pointed at the lions. "They are quite humbling, are they not, Anthonius?"

"Quite," He stammered. "I never went with Father to the arena. The lions always frightened me."

"Look!" One of the men from Teddy's other pocket yelled. "There is the Optio."

I looked where he was pointing, and saw the Optio, sitting on top of what looked like a yellow pee of some sort. The monkey sat beside the peel, contentedly at the fruit, while Trebonius wiped his sword on his cape. Both of them were in a high branch, overlooking the rest of the room. I indicated to Teddy where he was, and he swung himself carefully out of the saddle, tying his horse to the trunk of one of the trees. He paced over to the tree the monkey was in, and smiled.

"Hello there!" He called up, cupping a hand to his mouth. Trebonius looked down, startled. He backed towards Dexter, who flicked his tail around him protectively. Teddy lifted his hand up to his pocket, allowing me to climb on. He held me up so Trebonius could see me.

"Sir!" I yelled up, waving my arms.

He peered over the top of Dexter's tail, his scarred face cracking into a wide grin. "Soldier!" He said cheerily. He climbed over the massive tail, and, getting on his hands and knees, looked over the edge of the tree branch. "Come to rescue me, have you?"

"Yes, sir." I answered. "I brought this man. His name is Theodore Roosevelt, sir. He helped us find you."

"Is that so?" Trebonius beamed. "Well. I am proud that one of my men has the guts to execute a rescue. Good on you, boy. I will be down in a moment." He turned to face Dexter, who chittered in what sounded like a saddened tone. "I know, I know," Trebonius said gently. He patted the monkey's cheek, half his arm disappearing in the deep fur. "The time was too short. But I will see you again. And if you ever need help peeling more of those sweet fruits, I will be more than happy to help." Dexter chittered again, causing Trebonius to laugh. "I know. Now, if you could lower me down…"

Slowly, carefully, Dexter grasped Trebonius in his palms, and hanging by his feet, turned upside down to plop him into Teddy's pals. Teddy put his hand against his chest, allowing Trebonius to climb into the same pocket I was in. He was grinning, and turned to lean himself backwards over the edge of the pocket, resting his elbows on the rim.

"Well, that was exhilarating." He said. "I suppose you men are exhausted and hungry. Well, I found us food." He pointed back at the tree, which was full of the long yellow fruits. "It tastes sweet, and one should keep us feed for a month!"

He seemed excited to have found the solution to our food shortage, and I could not help but smile. "The General will be pleased, sir."

"I know." Trebonius answered, somewhat smugly. He then looked at me. "And you, I am assuming you are the one who organized a rescue for me?"

I nodded modestly. "Yes, sir."

"The General shall know about that, also." He winked at me, then clapped his hands together. He tilted his head up to look at Teddy. "Could you be so kind as to grab one of those fruits and bring it back with us?"

Teddy smirked. "I see no problem with that,"

Teddy took down one of the fruits, and held it in one hand as he walked back to his horse. He mounted, and together, with Optio Trebonius, we cantered down the hall, back to our city.


	17. Chapter 17

"So let me get this straight," Trebonius said, scratching his chin as he leaned his back against the edge of Teddy's shirt pocket. "A magical tablet brought us to life, and we only live at night. If we are outside during the day, we will turn to...dust?..."

I nodded. "That is what we were told, sir."

Trebonius looked up at Teddy, his eyes narrowed. "Is this so?"

Teddy nodded solemnly. "It is. I saw it with my own eyes."

We were nearing the miniature hall and had decided to give the horse a rest and let it walk. I had no way to keep track of the time, but it felt late. I was tired from our adventure. Suddenly all the giants did not seem as awe-inspiring, and even the threatening ones did not make me jump. My eyes were heavy, my legs sore. I wanted to sleep. Some of the men had already let themselves slip into slumber, Anthonius being one of him. He was leaning against me, his head leaning over the edge of the pocket. I did not think that position safe, and I gently repositioned his head so it rested on my shoulder. It did not bother me. I was beginning to like Anthonius. He reminded me of someone. He reminded me of myself when I was his age. Young and bold, but easily put into my place. It had not taken me long to learn where I stood in the world, and I was glad that I was the one who would teach Anthonius his place.

Trebonius sighed. "So then, anyone up for a game?"

A few of the men chuckled at the humor of their Optio, but no one agreed to the diversion. I was surprised at how quickly Trebonius had seemed to change. Like most commanders, I had expected him to be cold and indifferent. Yet he was funny, his humor invoking laughter. Of course, he was fierce and strict if the situation called for it, but he did not keep the pressure on us. I was starting to like him, too.

I yawned, and then turned my tired gaze to look at him. "I do not think…" I paused to yawn, closing my eyes as my mouth widened. "I do not think I can stay awake for a game…"

Trebonius chuckled. "Tired, boy?" He asked.

I nodded, letting my head hang. "Very tired...sir…"

"Too much excitement, eh?" Trebonius joked. "Well, we have achieved our goal. You can sleep at the fort."

I nodded again, the motion the only thing I felt like I could do. I let my head slump forwards, and my weight leaned against the cloth. I tried to fight off sleep, but it overwhelmed me like a rushing army. My eyes closed, and I let myself relax.

"Whoa!" Teddy's voice split the silent murmurings of the men around me, causing me to shoot my head up, awoken by both the voice and the halted motion of the horse.

"Whoa indeed," Another voice said.

I peered over the side of the pocket at another giant, one I had not seen before. He was a young man, no doubt in his early twenties, clothed in a dark blue uniform. There was a symbol of some sort sewn onto the shoulder of his uniformed shirt, and he wore a large metal weapon, or at least, what looked like a weapon, on a belt around his waist.

Teddy froze. "Oh, hello there..." He greeted uncertainly. "I was just taking some friends of mine back to their exhibits. No harm being done here,"

The young man looked at the pocket I was in, and I felt myself shrink back nervously. He did not look benevolent and appeared to me more irritated than angry. There was no cruel glint in his eyes, but there was a cold contempt I was instantly afraid of. I was not quite sure what to think of him. Instinctively, I ducked my head down, Anthonius and the other men doing the same. I had glimpsed the men in the other pockets going down before me, and I knew we were all out of sight. For now. But he had seen us.

"What have you got there?" The young man asked curiously.

"Small men," Teddy replied carefully. "Roman men. They were lost, out looking for their Optio. I was just returning them-"

"Let me see," The young man demanded.

"Cecil, I would suggest that-"

"Let. Me. See. Them." The man, who I figured must be Cecil, repeated.

Teddy hesitated. "There are too many to give to you...but I can show you them."

Teddy slowly reached into his pocket, and I felt his gloved finger slowly close around me. I tried to struggle for fear of the other men, but it was useless. Anthonius screamed and clung to me, trying to pull me back but being pulled out too. My heart was in my throat as we were pulled out into the light. Teddy gently set us in his other palm. I looked at the young man, feeling a tremble roll down my spine. Anthonius stood close to me, his sword drawn.

"Hm." Cecil hummed. "Interesting. I never knew we had these."

"Neither did I," Teddy admitted. "But here they are. And I believe there are more. Am I right, Rufus?"

I hesitated, then nodded. "Th-There is a whole city, sir."

Cecil raised an eyebrow. "Show me."

I do not if Teddy sensed my distrust, or if he did it to protect us, but he shook his head slowly. "I'm afraid you can't see them tonight. It'll be morning soon- I need to take them back."

Without a word, Cecil reached out and grasped the tip of Anthonius' sword. With a flick of his finger, he knocked it out of Anthonius' hand. Anthonius yelped and jumped behind me, peering over my shoulders.

"If you ever try anything funny," Cecil threatened, wagging his finger at us. "You will be locked up, like the rest of the museum."

Teddy put his other hand over us, shielding us away from Cecil's eyes. "Leave them alone, Cecil. They won't be any trouble, I assure you."

Cecil did not speak for a moment. He just stared at us, his cold gaze glaring into mine. In defiance, I returned the glare between the gap between Teddy's hands. He growled and took a threatening step forward, making me shrink back and grab Anthonius. Without another word, Teddy put us back in his pocket. He swung himself onto his horse, and without looking back at the young man he rode away.

"Who was that?" Trebonius growled. "Who dared to attack _my_ men?"

"His name is Cecil," Teddy explained. There was a bitter look in his eyes, his tone angered. "He is the lead nightguard of this establishment. He's a touchy young fellow. Not dangerous- not him. He shouldn't harm you. But he won't trust you."

Anthonius, who was beside me as usual, gulped and looked up at Teddy worriedly. "A-Are there more?"

Teddy shook his head. "Not yet. But Cecil has asked the Director to hire more guards. To suppress us," He muttered darkly. "But I guess we deserve it. Most of us fail to follow directions well."

I sighed. The last thing Rome needed was a giant enemy to give us grief. Based on what Teddy had said, I deducted that the Cecil boy would not be dangerous. But he would not hold back if he was to punish us. I was also worried about what would happen if those new guards came. _What will they be like? Will they hurt us?_

"Here we are," Teddy pronounced, reigning in his horse outside of the room which housed our city.

He walked with a wide gait across the room to our city on the cliff. My caught the sight of two other city-like structures I had never seen before. There was little time for me to observe them, but I could make out a desert civilization in one, and a giant sandstone temple in the center of the other. There were people my size in each, who stopped to observe the giant Teddy.

"Uh oh," Anthonius muttered from beside me.

I turned to see where he was looking, my eyes landing on the edge of our city. Octavius stood on the very edge; his hands fidgeted as if he was nervous, his eyes widening as he saw Teddy. Behind him his legion was amassed, archers knocking their arrows, the legionaries standing shield to shield, catapults straining at their ropes, ready to be fired.

"Halt!" Octavius commanded. "Stay where you are."

Teddy stopped an arms' length from the city. He took off his hat and bowed slightly, causing Octavius to frown.

"Bow not to me, stranger." He said carefully. "I am merely a soldier." He paused for a moment, composing himself before he spoke. "What brings you here to the city of Rome, and what purpose do you wish to fulfill?"

Teddy smiled and reached into his pocket. "You are home now, small ones," He said gently. I climbed into his palm, Anthonius and Trebonius following me. A few other men climbed aboard, and, sustaining our balance as best as we could, we were neared to the cliff edge. He laid his hand flat against the ground, allowing us to step off.

I could not help but smile. I was relieved to be back on familiar turf. I turned along with my two companions to watch Teddy empty his other pockets of my comrades, setting them down on the cliff with great care. Octavius made a swatting motion with his hand, and the torsion cables on the catapults were eased, and the men lowered their weapons. He gave Teddy a gracious smile, bowing himself to the giant.

"I thank you for returning my men," He thanked sincerely. "We feared for their lives."

Teddy's mouth turned up in a smile, and he tipped his hat slightly as he returned it to its place on his head. "It was not a problem at all, General. It was lucky I stumbled upon them when I did."

"He is right," Trebonius spoke up. "I had been abducted by a giant monkey." He said, sounding rather proud. "And I tamed it." Octavius raised his eyebrows. Trebonius chuckled. "And your boy Rufus here helped rescue me. I think he deserves an award for his valor."

Octavius looked at me and smiled, giving me a small nod. "That shall be taken into consideration."

"We also found food!" Anthonius blurted.

The glow in Octavius' eyes betrayed his excitement. I nodded to emphasize the truth, just as Teddy set the yellow fruit down in front of us. The men stepped back, staring at the elongated yellow fruit curiously. Octavius stepped forwards, touching the peel with his hand. He circled it, the moment silent as he surveyed the giant fruit. He looked up at Teddy, his mouth opening to speak, uttered nothing, and closed again.

"What…" He stammered. "What is it?"

"It's called, a banana," Teddy explained. "It's a fruit native to the tropics of India and Asia, and some of South America. All places you have never seen. At least, not yet." He winked at us, and I figured he was implying that we had not seen these places while we were alive, in the real world. "They're healthy, full of fiber and antioxidants. Everything you need to feed an army and keep them marching. And, it should be enough to feed you for a long time yet."

"Thank you, truly and deeply thank you," Octavius praised. "You have saved us from famine."

Teddy grinned. "Glad I could help. Now then; it will soon be dawn. And I have places to be."

Teddy gave us what I thought to be some sort of salute, which we returned with our own, formal salute. I smiled as I watched him leave, and wondered if I would be so lucky as to see him again.


	18. Chapter 18

The briefing room at headquarters was unusually cold, and paired with my exhaustion from night's events I was feeling the tug of sleep pull me away. It had taken a little over half an hour to gather all of the officers of the legion in the room to discuss our findings. Although I was not a soldier of rank, Octavius had wanted me to be present, since I had been the one to survey the path, and would have the best memory. It was an honor to be given permission to speak in front of my senior officers. One that I had earned. I was nervous, but this nervousness helped to keep me awake while I waited for the briefing to start.

Still, I was not thrilled to have to sit through an entire meeting. I had wanted, above everything to sleep. Just a brief rest before I had planned to visit Lucios again. Afterwards, I had wanted to enjoy a nice meal with Kaius, and see what information I could get out of him. Unfortunately, being an Optio, Kaius had been called to the meeting, so neither of us could enjoy each other's' company. No doubt Anthonius was having a nice evening. Or he was lonely, one of the two.

I knew it was important that we map the route we had taken to find the banana, which was lying just outside of the fort. It was big enough to last for a while, but it would not last forever. Sooner or later we would need more. There was also the issue of water; we had found none while on our mission. Without it, we would die. It was critical that a new plan be discussed. No matter how tired I was, I knew I had to stay awake. In a last ditch attempt I set my hands flat on the table I was sitting at, and forced my heavy eyes to study the roughly drawn area of a map that was meant to show the room our city was in.

"Commanding officer present!" One of the officers bellowed.

With a shuffle of feet we all stood, myself on shaky knees as I trembled from exhaustion. Octavius entered the room, and saluted us before he took his place on the table opposite of me. He cast his eyes over us, smiling when his gaze landed on me. I did not smile back, and just lifted my hand in acknowledgement. It was a feeble gesture, but Octavius did not seem to mind.

He took a seat on the one empty wooden stool, and the rest of us sat down; myself almost slipping off of my stool and embarrassingly catching myself on the table. The officers laughed. Kaius failed to hide his smirk, Trebonius let out a hearty laugh, and Octavius chuckled. I felt my face burn red and I slipped down in my seat, wanting to disappear.

"Seeing that some of us are exhausted, I will make this meeting brief." Octavius said. He was answered by another chorus of laughs, but he raised his hand sternly to quell my mockery. "Legionary Rufus is right to be tired. He and Optio Trebonius here have had quite a long day."

Trebonius nodded. "That is right. We found food, and new territories to conquer."

"However, I believe we should save the conquering of new territories for a later date." Octavius put in. "Now that we have food, we can focus on rebuilding the city. But to do so we need materials. Wood, metal, glass- we need all of these things to build shelters for the public. The cleanup of the city is almost completed. Within a few weeks, the citizens can return to their homes. But they can not go home if there is no home to go to. That is why we need the supplies. Trebonius," Octavius turned himself in his stool to face the Optio, who perked up at the mention of his name. "A fruit is born of a plant. No doubt a plant of wood. Did you find the fruit in a tree?"

Trebonius nodded eagerly, his face splitting in a wide grin. "Yes, sir, a huge tree! Giant! All made of wood. Enough wood to last us for a thousand years. And there were many of these giant trees, enough wood to last us forever!"

The men began to murmur excitedly to each other. Many of them had families who were living in the fort, and would rather have them safely out of the way. More wood also meant more fuel for braziers. And in the cold barracks room, wood would be a priceless commodity I would be keen to have.

"Enough," Octavius ordered. The voices died down. "This wood will be most helpful- and you have already informed me of the amount of food you have found there. Now all that remains is to draw a map. That is where you come in, Rufus."

I looked up at the sound of my name, shaking my head in an attempt to dissipate my sleepiness. I blinked. "Um...I...well I…" My eyes caught those of Kaius, who gave me a small nod of encouragement. I cleared my throat, and spoke again. "The room we found the Optio and the bananas in looked like the province of Africa." There were a few surprised mutters, but I ignored them and continued. "The room is full of danger; there are giant lions, stripped horses, and even an enormous elephant!"

Octavius frowned. "Elephant? Now there is an animal I have not heard mention of since my days reading the Punic Wars."

I was not sure how I should reply to the comment. "But it is true; there is plenty of wood, and enough fruit to feed us for a long time. If there are animals, perhaps there will be game we can hunt. The path to the room leads out of this room. There is a wall that you will have to travel along here-" I reached out and took the stylus pen, marking a hallway stretching out from the opening to our room. "And then turn when you reach the corner, here. You will pass between the wall and the giant talking stone head-"

"Giant talking stone head?" Kaius gasped.

I nodded. "It is loud, but the noise will help cover a large forage party. Once you pass through the opening, you will travel for many miles along this wall here…" I drew a head shaped circle, and then a hallway leading from it, then I marked another room. "And turn into this room. That is the room that holds the wood and the food."

Octavius turned the map towards him, and examined it with careful eyes. He looked at Trebonius searchingly. "Is this the path?"

"Yes," Trebonius answered. "It is the path we took. At least, up until the stone head. The rest I was not present for. But I think you will find Rufus here to be reliable."

"Good." Octavius answered. "Now that we have a path, we will need to organize patrols and foraging parties to gather the supplies. Trebonius, I would like you to lead another patrol tomorrow night. Kaius, you can lead one the day after. You are to be moved to acting centurion until Centurion Marcus recovers." Kaius could not help but smile at his newfound position, causing Octavius to smirk. "Remember; it is only temporary. Marcus seems to trust you a lot, and he believes you will keep his men safe and well until his return."

"I will, sir." Kaius promised. "You and Centurion Marcus will not be ashamed."

"Very good," Octavius ended. "Now, there is one last problem to discuss; what will be done about the lack of water?"

No one answered. The men looked around at each other, but not one of them spoke. Seeing no one else was piecing the puzzle together, I spoke up.

"Sir, if there are trees," I began thoughtfully. "Would there not be a water supply to provide them with sustenance?"

Octavius thought for a moment, his eyes lighting up in excitement. "You are right, Rufus. We must find that water source. But we must find it tomorrow; there is little time left this day." The men nodded. "Now then, men- that is all. Dismissed!"

The men began to file out of the briefing room in pairs or alone, talking excitedly amongst themselves. Kaius walked across the room towards me, a smile lighting up his face. I smiled back, tired as I was, and embraced him with a one armed hug. He returned the gesture.

"I am surprised to see you of all people becoming the man of the hour." He laughed good humoredly. "To think! My own little brother, savior of Rome. I am very proud."

I smiled, unable to hide the pride I felt swelling in my chest. I had done a good thing for Rome. If it was not for my efforts, we would not have food, and we may not know where to begin to look for water.

"I would celebrate with you," I yawned. "But I feel the need to sleep."

Kaius chuckled. "I understand that. More wine for me, then." He put an arm over my shoulders, and steered me towards the door. "We shall return to the barracks, where you may sleep until your body is recuperated."

I grinned at the prospect of sleep. It felt like ages since I had last slept. My body ached from exhaustion. I longed for my soft, sturdy bed, my cozy blanket, my fluffy pillow-

"Legionary Rufus," Octavius' voice spoke from behind me. "A moment, if you would."

I exchanged a look with Kaius, who glanced at the General curiously before shrugging.

"I will see you later, then." He said.

I nodded, and watched his back as he left the room. I stifled a sigh. I had really been looking forward to that rest. I turned around to look at Octavius, who was gently folding the map in his hands. He tucked it away into his tunic, and nodded for me to have a seat.

I sat down on the stool across from him, barely able to hide a yawn. "What is it, sir?"

He smiled. "I shall only hold you here for a short time," He promised. "This is an informal meeting, mind you. So please, you do not have to say 'sir'."

I shrugged, and let myself slump down against the table. Much to Octavius' amusement. "What can I do?"

"Well…" Octavius began slowly. He seemed hesitant to speak, and fidgeted his thumbs. "I just...well…" I raised an eyebrow curiously. "I just...um…" He sighed defeatedly, and reached under the table to pull out a small white pouch, neatly tied with golden thread.

I looked at it admiringly. It was a beautiful pouch, and I had a feeling that whatever was inside of it was even prettier. "Is that a gift for someone?" I asked, hoping to push him along.

He nodded slowly. "Yes...it is for a woman."

I smirked. "Athena?"

Octavius winced. "Come now, is it that obvious?" He asked in dismay.

"No," I answered truthfully. "It just seemed like the obvious answer. She is the only woman I have seen you converse with."

Octavius sighed wistfully. "She is very beautiful, and kind and gentle. But what strikes me the most about her is her will to do what she must. Few women have such qualities."

"And, you like her, then?" I asked, just to clarify.

"That is true," Octavius sighed. "I feel so guilty, Rufus. In this time of struggle, of hardship; my mind constantly falls on a woman. She has occupied my thoughts since I first met her, when Lucius brought her to diagnose my most recent bout of illness. It is wrong of me to be thinking of her when there are so many other people who actually need me. Like Marcus, for example; he is hurting and here I am trying to woe a woman instead of looking after him. Instead of looking after my men."

I considered his problem, scratching my chin. "I do not think it wrong. If you like her, you should tell her so."

Octavius smiled meekly. "I was hoping to, in a few moments."

"Then why did you need me?" I asked, frowning.

Octavius faltered. "I...er...I was wondering if you could...uh…"

"You want me to go with you so you can keep your bravery?" I asked. U then winced at my rude remark, but Octavius did not seem to notice. He looked at me almost pleadingly, his eyes reminding me of a puppy's. I remembered what Kaius had told me the first time I had met a woman I liked. A man will do anything to get a woman. Even if he must plead with other men. I could tell Octavius was desperate, so I nodded. "I will help you." I decided. "I was thinking about visiting Lucios anyways."

Octavius breathed a sigh of relief, and stood. "Right, then; off we go." He headed towards the door, then paused to look at me. "Thank you greatly. I shall not forget this."

I smiled.


	19. Chapter 19

I was the first to enter the medical block since I figured Athena would readily respond to me. The room was emptier than it had been earlier, with only Marcus and a few other men asleep on the cots, and after glancing at the wax tablet on the wooden table I saw a few names crossed through. I had not seen any funeral processions, so I did not think anyone had passed. They must have recovered. The room was also brighter, the shutters near the back wall opened to let in the light. There was the smell of freshly baked bread, making my stomach growl.

"It sounds like you could use some food," Athena chuckled.

I turned around, cumbersome with sleep. She was standing on my right, smiling at me with a gentle look. The cheeriness on her face lifted me up a little. She was such a kind woman. Octavius would be very lucky if he managed to nab her. She was also good-looking. Gently sloping shoulders and tender hands, her eyes like a forest, her body a sloping mountain range from her head, which was crowned by cascading brown hair, to her feet, which were covered with worn sandals. She was not without her imperfections. She was shorter than me, but that was to be expected. Though her hands were soft, the tops were scarred with signs of struggle, the accidental cuts from medical instruments in her training. A few of her teeth were uneven, but that never stopped her from smiling. Her glowing eyes of comfort and compassion were enough to distract even the most critical man from her imperfections.

I returned her smile, feeling a glow of warmth in my heart at simply seeing her healing gaze. "Hello there. I was wondering if Lucios was awake."

"He would love to see you," Athena replied softly. "But I am afraid he is sleeping. He must rest if he is to return to you by the end of the week. I am sure you understand."

I did not have to fake my disappointment. I had wanted to see him, even if the whole meeting was simply to help Octavius. I opened my mouth to reply, but Athena spoke first.

"General?" She asked, sounding surprised to see him standing in the doorway.

He smiled uncertainly, his grin forced. "Hello," He managed.

I wanted to slap him. That stupid look on his face. He was going to blow it. I cleared my throat. "May I check and see if Lucios is alright, then?" I cut in.

Athena sighed in defeat and gave me a nod of allowance. I slipped past her, walking swiftly to the curtain. I peeked inside and focused on Lucios' sleeping form while my ears strained to hear the conversation at the door.

"What can I help you with, general?" Athena's voice asked.

There was a pause, Octavius taking a sharp breath. "I...wanted to ask if you...if you would like to... perhaps sometime...if you wish to…"

I wanted to slam my head against the wall as I listened to the stuttering mess. There was a sense of irony, listening to the mightiest man in Rome fumble over his words.

"Do you...wish for me to get you some herbal tea?" Athena asked quietly. "Are you feeling ill again?"

"No…" Octavius stammered. "I…" He took a deep breath and spoke rapidly. "I want to know if you would like to accompany me on a brief walk around the fort." Another pause. "I thought maybe you would have some in home patients to visit, and maybe you would like the company."

There was the briefest of pauses before Athena answered in a soft, gentle tone. "I understand your implied message, Octavius. And that is very kind of you, to offer your company. But I must manage my patients on my own. It is what I was trained for- why you let me stay here, in the fort."

It was a gentle rejection, but a rejection all the same. I inwardly winced and felt a moment of anger towards Athena. Did she not see Octavius' true feelings? He was not like other men. There was no lust for her, but an aching of his heart to truly _know_ her. To _love_ her. _Not_ make love to her. That was not what he wanted from her. I wanted to grab her by her shoulders, scream at her for being so blind.

"I-I see," Octavius answered, his voice defeated, deflated. "I...I brought you this, maybe it can help with your visits."

The sound of an object being exchanged. The gift he had wanted to giver her. I turned around and saw her take it, looking at it for a moment before looking back up at him. She smiled gently, taking a step back from him.

"Thank you," She said.

Octavius nodded, and after looking at me with a solemn expression, he slipped out of the room. I immediately turned on Athena, unable to control my anger.

"What was that for?" I demanded angrily, gesturing to the door.

Athena winced. "Please, you will wake the patients. Lucios-"

"Would say the same thing," I concluded. I shook my head, pacing a moment. "What made you think that was okay? Do you not see that he loves you? How could you miss _that?_ "

"Rufus," She said in a hushed tone. "You do not understand- my duty is to these men."

"He _is_ one of the men," I strained to get my point across. "You are an empathetic person. Can you not see how he feels?"

"I know," The tone of her voice changed to a great sadness, a regret that I immediately felt. "I...I love him too. But how can I call it love? I have not known him for less than a week. He is a fine man; caring, considerate; but I can not have a relationship. Not now. Now is not the time." She sighed. "I do not know if you understand, but it was not an easy thing for me, to turn him away. But it is better for both of us if, for now, we focus on the tasks at hand."

I sighed, leaning myself against the wall. "You know, one of the reasons he loves you so much is because of your loyalty. He respects that."

I caught the small smile that flickered on her lips before it disappeared. "Then he must respect that this loyalty will never change."

I knew there was no point in arguing with her. She would not be swayed from her decision. I would not be the one to sway her. It was a shame that she felt the way she did. I hoped that, in time, she would come around. In the meantime, Octavius would just have to deal with his emotions until then.

"You should go," Athena whispered, putting her hand on my shoulder. "You are tired, I can tell. You promised to see Lucios tomorrow. You had better get some sleep so you can see him."

I glanced over at the curtain surrounded cot, my heart looking forward to seeing him. I turned back to Athena.

"You are right," I answered. "I will return tomorrow night, well rested."

I turned to leave, pausing when Athena grabbed my arm.

"Wait," She said, frowning. "You said night. What do you mean by that?"

"Oh," I tried to think of what I needed to explain, but my mind was too tired to think clearly. "I left the city. There was a window. It was night outside."

There was a curious glow in Athena's eyes, but she waved for me to leave. I did not have to be told twice. I needed the sleep. I also needed food. I waved to her as I left, but she had already shut the door. I sighed. That visit had been a disappointment. Poor Octavius had not been expecting such a rejection. I briefly wondered if I should pay him a visit, but I decided against it. He would need some space.

I turned down the military road leading to my barrack block. I stopped at the door, a smile creasing my face. Anthonius was awake, reading aloud from what I deciphered was the _Aeneid._ Kaius was commenting as he listened, his voice muffled. He must be eating. My stomach growled again at the thought of food. I knocked on the door during a bout of laughter. Both fell silent. Footsteps approached the door and was cracked open, familiar eyes peering out. It opened more, spilling the warm glow of the brazier against me.

"There you are!" Kaius exclaimed, his lips parted in a drunken grin.

I tried my best to return the smile. "Kaius, you are still awake," I observed.

He did not catch my questioning tone, pushing the door open for me to enter. I walked into the room, feeling for a moment as if I was in an unfamiliar place. It was the first time both of my bunk mates had been awake and interactive. Anthonius was sitting on his bunk, his head upside down and touching the floor, his feet propped against the wall. He was holding a scroll in his hands, old and wrinkled with age. He beamed up at me, young eyes aglow with excitement.

"Rufus!" He laughed. "You have arrived!"

I could see that he, too, had been drinking. There was an empty amphora on the wooden dining table, beside a half finished loaf of bread. I looked at Kaius quizzically, gesturing to the mess.

Kaius shrugged. "Just a little drink, is all." He slurred.

Sighing, I shook my head and set the amphora in the corner. Kaius stumbled up beside me, managing to straighten himself before falling face first into the table. I caught him, expecting him to yell out in frustration. Instead, he just laughed, lifted himself up, and teetered to the other side of the room to look out the window. I stared at him wearily. The last thing I needed was two drunk men toppling things while I tried to get some rest.

I walked over to Kaius, grasping him by the shoulders. He tried to shrug me off, but I held fast. "Kaius," I said carefully. "Kaius, you are drunk. You need to lie down and rest."

"Nonsense," Kaius libeled, wrenching himself away from me. "If I was drunk, I could not do this!"

"Kaius no-" I reached out to stop him, but it was too late.

He had attempted to do what looked like a flip onto Anthonius' bunk but had not achieved the desired effect. He tripped and fell into the bed, successfully knocking Anthonius with a yelp off, cracking his head against the floor. I rushed forwards, dragging him away from the bed. Kaius looked up groggily, his gaze confused.

"Anthonius?" I said urgently, giving him a small shake.

He grumbled something incoherent, rubbing the back of his head and casting a glare at Kaius. "Damn fool…" I heard him say.

"Say it to my face!" Kaius howled angrily.

Anthonius pushed away from me and flew at Kaius, bowling into him with a war cry. Kaius gave a defiant holler as he flew back. Fists flew as they fought, hurling insults at each other. Kaius managed to get Anthonius in a headlock, his arm tight around the young man's throat. I knew Kaius would never hurt him, but in an angry, drunken state, I did not wish to take that risk.

"Kaius! Stop!" I pleaded desperately.

Anthonius' face paled as he choked for air, kicking his feet as he tried to break free. I leaped into the fray, grasping Kaius' arm and trying to pull it away. Anthonius' face turned a shade of blue, his frightened eyes bulging with fear as he struggled to breathe. I grabbed hold of the amphora, it was all I could do, and slammed it over Kaius' head. It shattered upon impact, Kaius freezing, then toppling sideways as his grip loosened, taking Anthonius down with him. I wrenched Kaius' arm away from Anthonius, who gasped out and coughed.

His eyes watered, whether, from the emotions of fear or the feeling pain, I could not tell. He was shaking as he caught his breath, pulling his legs against his chest, shoulders heaving. I knelt beside him, gently rubbing his back as he calmed. His face was turned to the floor, and after a moment he lifted his hand to rub his neck. He made a noise like a whimpering animal and tried to stagger to his feet. I helped him up, guiding him to his cot. I helped him lay down, tucking the covers around him like a mother would do a child.

"H-He tried to kill me," Anthonius stammered, sobering now that he had received a few hits.

There was a tremble in his voice, which brought out my pity. He gently patted his shoulder. "He did not mean to hurt you," I promised. He did not seem convinced, his gaze landing on Kaius. "Get some rest," I whispered quietly.

Anthonius nodded and rolled over to face the wall, cuddling the blanket close to himself for comfort. I sighed, and let my head fall into my hands. I peered through my fingers at Kaius, who was stirring now, groaning softly. He was not normally this violent, even when he was drunk. He never did more than punch, and even then he seldom made contact. He could have killed Anthonius. Something was wrong, I could feel it. There was some anger in his heart, that had escaped his control.

I walked over to him, lifting him beneath his shoulders. He gave a strangled groan, letting his head fall back. He looked at me with bleary eyes, tears gathering in their depths. This startled me.

"Kaius," I whispered softly. "What is wrong?"

Kaius did not answer me. I sighed, and half lifted, half shoved him onto my cot. I could not lift him to the top bunk and he was in no state to climb up on his own. He turned away from me, burying his face in his pillow. I could get no answer from him. The adrenaline gone, I now felt my acute exhaustion, and I slowly paced over to the table. I took up the leftover bread and climbed onto the top bunk. I took a bit and chewed it slowly, looking up at the ceiling.

Everything just felt wrong.


	20. Chapter 20

"So what do you think?" Kaius asked, from where we stood, on the edge of a large, metal outcrop.

I shrugged. "I do not know what to think. But somehow, someway, there is water here."

Kaius nodded slowly, his pointer finger tapping his chin. He had not spoken much since his drink induced fight with Anthonius a few days prior, only speaking to ask or answer questions. I had given up trying to make conversation. I knew he would talk when he was ready. But I had kept a close eye on him.

Not much had happened during the past few days. There had been numerous parties of men, soldiers and citizens alike, sent out to the Hall of African Mammals to gather more food. Wood had begun to be harvested from the giant trees, and would be used to construct shelters for the tattered city. Marcus had been cleared by Athena and Lucius, and had retaken his command. However, due to Octavius' request, he had stayed behind while Kaius led part of the cohort on the mission to find water.

There was also good news concerning Lucios. He had begun his first day of physical therapy, which I was supposed to attend when I was finished. I was glad to know he was healing well. He never looked happy, lying helplessly in his cot. But he had entertainment. I had kept my word, and visited him every day. His moral had grown greatly, his joy overflowing every time I came. I smiled at the thought of him walking again, unhindered by pain, back at my side to serve together against the enemies of Rome.

I sighed at that thought. There had been a great many questions on my mind, troubling me with their twists and turns. Morals were messy. Right was wrong, and wrong right. Or so, it seemed. Kaius was worrying me. I knew something was troubling him. There was trouble in the future, I could feel it. When I closed my eyes, I felt an overwhelming sense of dread. My mind reeled with fears and consequences, problems and conflict. Things a soldier should not worry over disturbed me.

"Rufus?" I snapped out of my thoughts, turning to face Kaius. He frowned at me. "Are you alright?"

"Yes," I answered quickly.

"I have called you three times now…" He muttered, his eyes narrowing as he looked at me. "Well, I have your attention now." He said with a flick of his shoulders. "I was thinking we could build an aqueduct through these walls. There must be a reservoir somewhere near this metaled lake."

I nodded. "We could try to tunnel through the wall. There is enough wood to build what we need. We do not have stone, though. But if we build a small aqueduct, we should be able to transport enough water to the city."

"My thinking exactly," Kaius replied. He stretched his back with a grunt, sighing. "Well, that is done. Climb back down and back to the city we go."

I carefully made my way down the rope to the handful of men below us. We had been away from the city for roughly half the night. After hearing reports of the giants getting their water from the metal dish-like mechanism, Octavius had decided to send a body of men out to investigate. Now that the source of the water had been located, all that remained was to transport it back to Rome.

That would be the hard part. As much as I respected the method of aqueducts to transport water, I did not think one could be built to reach the city. Aqueducts spanned for miles over all sorts of terrain, from desert to grasslands, from mountains, and over rivers. Like vast bridges over the world. But to build one through solid wall? That was not something that sounded achievable. For one, we did not even know what the walls were made of. The wall that had been destroyed a short time ago appeared to have been made of stone, and some sort of plaster. If the rest of the walls in the museum were made of a similar substance, then it would take time to build such a long aqueduct. I did not think it possible, but I could see no other choice.

I reached the floor, looking up to watch Kaius cautiously slide down the rope. He landed with a small tap of his nail-studded boots, grinning at us. He put his hands on his hips, walking to the front of the small column. I could see he felt achieved, even if all he had done was confirm a report. I would not stop his joy. I was glad to see him smile.

"Back to Rome." He ordered briskly, setting the pace to double-time.

I was never out of shape. I always made it a point to exercise, to strain myself to the limit. As a soldier, I never knew when I would need to run, or for how long- I never knew when I would need to fight hard, or when it would be necessary to force my enemy aside. If I needed to carry a comrade, or swing a ram against a gate, I would have the strength to do so.

But the pace Kaius set was unreasonable after such a grueling climb. I could not help but glare at his back as we ran in step, a man on either side of me, and three more behind me. They were sweating by the time we reached the threshold to our room. The whole time we were out, we could see the room. But the distance was a lot farther than it appeared. At least, for us it was. The giants could walk from one end of the hall to the other in less than a minute. It was jealousy inducing, but there was nothing we could about it. We were lucky the water was along the same wall as the opening to our room. There would be no way we could build an aqueduct from one side to the other without it being destroyed.

We entered the room, Kaius slowing us to a brisk walk as we neared the city. I took this as my chance, and stepped up beside him, keeping pace. I half expected him to scold me for stepping out of line, but he did not even notice my presence beside him.

"Kaius," I said under my breath, purposely avoiding saying 'sir'.

He glanced at me. "What is it, Rufus?" He asked.

I was surprised that he did not address my insubordination, but I was not going to quit now. "Kaius, about what happened with you and Anthonius-"

"It was an accident," Kaius muttered quickly under his breath. "I did not mean to hurt him, honest. I was drunk, I was not thinking, I was-"

"Kaius," I hissed. I nodded over my shoulder at the other men, some of whom had curious looks on their faces as they listened to the conversation.

Kaius lowered his voice. "It was just a drunken fight, is all."

"I think it was more," I persisted. I turned to look at him as we walked, observing his drawn out and weary expression. "Kaius, there is more to it than just a drink. There is something troubling you. I can see it in your eyes- I can hear it in your voice. What has happened?" Kaius hesitated. "Come on. I am your brother. You can trust me."

He hesitated, sighing in defeat. "It is Petronius," He said quietly.

My blood ran cold, a tingle running down my spine at the name of the Senator. "Petronius?" I asked, my voice tinged with a fear I knew Kaius could hear. "What does he want with you?"

"I…" Kaius hesitated, his hands fumbling with know of his cape around his neck. "He wants me to help him."

"With what?" I impeled cautiously. "What is trying to make you do, Kaius?"

"He wants me to join him," Kaius explained in a hushed tone. "He told me that Rome was falling and that I could save it."

I looked at him incredulously. "Rome is not falling,"

"But it is," Kaius insisted harshly. "Do you not see it? He has shown me the chaos in the city, and how we are doomed to fail. He said that Caesar's evil still lurks within the city, and that it must be flushed out if Rome is to be magnificent again."

I felt another sharp tinge of fear in my gut. I knew who Petronius was referring to. It had been no secret that Petronius had been against Caesar while he was in power. He had been in support of Brutus and Cassius, the conspirators who murdered Caesar. He had kept his influence on the low, away from the sight of Octavius and the rest of the Triumvirate. But now that Octavius was alone, Petronius could come out of hiding. As long as Petronius was alive, Octavius was in constant danger. Petronius had power over him, and he knew it. The thread of the General's life was clutched between the fingers of Petronius.

"What does he mean by 'Caesar's evil'?" I asked worriedly.

Kaius did not answer. We had reached the wall below our city. "Climb." He ordered simply.

I sighed, and turned away from him to the nearest rope. When I reached the top, I turned towards the medical block and began to walk. I did not look back. For most soldiers, leaving their post was a punishable offense. I was not sure if Kaius would excuse me for leaving without his permission, but I did not care. I did not want to be near him for the time being. He was beginning to scare me.

Petronius was a shifty man, who could manipulate even the most righteous man to murder. If he was working his hand on Kaius, I realized with a painful jolt, then there was nothing I could do to stop him. I felt miserable at the thought of losing him to Petronius' wicked games. I needed to clear my head. I needed a second opinion. I needed to see Lucios.

I neared the medical block, a small smile on my lips as I saw him, being led by Athena from one end of the walkway to the next. He was limping, a grimace on his face but determination in his eyes. Athena looked up when she heard my approach.

"There you are!" She exclaimed, smiling kindly at me.

Lucios looked up, giving me a pained grin. "Hello, Rufus," He managed to say through clenched teeth.

I walked to his other side, grabbing his arm and nodding to Athena. She stepped back and went inside, leaving the two of us alone. As soon as she was out of sight, Lucios dropped to his knee with a grimace.

"I-I thought she would never leave," He groaned, clutching his side. I frowned and lowered myself beside him to help. He waved me away. "No, no, do not help me. I just need a rest, is all."

"Was she pushing you too hard?" I asked defensively, ready to face her for his suffering.

He chuckled softly and shook his head, his coppery hair swishing over his forehead. "No, she has offered me a chance to rest. But I wanted to keep going. I want to be out of here as soon as possible. I figured if I proved I was well, she might let me out sooner. I also do not want to disappoint her. I am her first patient, after all." He grinned to himself.

"That does not sound like you. The impatience, I mean." I said truthfully.

Lucios shrugged. "The sooner I heal, the sooner I can return to my comrades. I have a duty to them, and a duty to you. I also want to visit that small library Julius has."

I frowned at the unknown name. "Who is Julius?" I asked.

"I forgot that you were not around when he came," Lucios explained. "He is Octavius' cousin. A Tribune."

"Oh," I replied. I had not known that. "And he has a library?"

Lucios nodded, a longing look in his eyes. "A vast library full of books and plays….of maps and charts….of histories and legends and lore-"

I gave him a small shove, almost knocking him forwards. "Get your head out of the books, Lucios." I joked. "You must practice more or you will never see that library again." Lucios gave a determined growl and pushed himself to his feet, stifling a pained grunt. "Easy now," I said measuredly. "Pace yourself, I do not want you hurt more than you are."

Lucios smirked, taking a step forwards, myself supporting him as he walked with uncertain feet. "You sound like Athena," He commented. He took a few more steps in silence, then spoke. "What was that yelling about last night?"

I glanced at him sideways. "What do you mean?"

"Do not play the fool to me," Lucios scolded. "I know you were here last night. I heard you. I think Octavius was here too."

"Well, if you can keep a secret…" I began slowly.

Lucios whipped his head to face me. "I can."

I smirked. "Our dear General has taken a liking towards our beloved Medic."

Lucios' eyes gleamed with excitement. "Is that so?"

I nodded. "He asked if I would accompany him to see her. He asked her if she wanted to go for a walk, but she turned him down."

At this, Lucios frowned. "Turned him down? But why?"

I shrugged. "She said she was too busy with her patients."

"Too busy because of me," Lucios muttered, biting his lip. "It is my fault she can not enjoy herself."

"Nonsense," I scolded gently. "It is many others. She would never forsake you, or any of the men. I suppose I understand what she means. But I still think she should at least give Octavius a chance."

"She does like him," Lucios blurted out. "She talks about him sometimes. Not all the time, but sometimes. She told me this morning he gave her a new set of surgical tools. They were very nice- steel-grade tools. Even Lucius was surprised at their fine quality. They have engravings on them, too. Of different herbs and figures of medical lore. She really likes them."

I smiled, glad to know that she was enjoying the gift Octavius had given her. I would have to tell him the next chance I got.

"Phew!" Lucios murmured, dropping his head. I helped him lean against the side of the medical block. "That is all I can do today. I want to take a rest now." We took a short time to rest, Lucios catching his breath as he leaned against the stone. "What have you been up to?" He asked. I did not answer immediately, causing him to frown. "Rufus?" He leaned his head forwards to see my eyes. "Something is not right with you."

"Later," I sighed. "I will tell you later."


End file.
